Wingmates
by Boondock Jake
Summary: With the new addition of Krystal to the team, Fox couldn't be happier as they find their affections for one another growing. But the rest of the team questions Fox's decision and Krystal's capabilities as an uneasy tension begins to form, especially with the recently returned Falco.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hey y'all! I'm back! I finished this story a while back but have been sitting on it as I'm not exactly sure how good it really is. But as hesitant as I am, I didn't want it sitting around collecting dust so I decided to post it._

_I've always been a big Fox/Krystal supporter. They were the first fanfic I ever wrote back in 2002. OH I FEEL OLD. Most of my Star Fox stories have been comedies with slight FxK moments so I wanted to do something that was more heavier with the romance because that seems to be what I excel at. This pairing has gotten some hate over the years and I can understand why due to cliches and the fact that a lot of people hate Krystal. But not me. I wanted to give the pairing a proper Boondock Jake romance story they deserved._

_Also, the plot reflects on the fact that most fics portray Krystal being welcomed with open arms and no conflicts. I always suspected that there must have been some reservations from the team and wanted the story to encompass not only Krystal's relationship with Fox but the rest of the crew as well. I feel it's something different and some people might like that._

_If you're wondering about the story _Hard Labor _and its status, I've hit a bit of a snag in the ending of the last chapter. A snag that might require me to remove the story and start over. I'm going to keep thinking to try and save it but that's where I'm at with it now._

_**WARNING:** This story is one of my more...adult stories but not in the sense of straight out sexual content. It has some strong language, violence and yes, adult situations. Now I don't think it necessarily warrants an 'M' rating but it's probably borderline. I'll let you know now that this will NOT include a lemon although I'm probably pushing the boundaries on that. I'm telling you this so in case this does get moved to the 'M' section, you'll know where it is if you can't find it one day. In that case, favorite it!_

_Okay! You've listened to me ramble on long enough! Enjoy! _

* * *

**Wingmates  
**

Fox's footsteps echoed through the halls of one of the Great Fox's corridors.

The sound bounced off the walls and disappeared down towards the belly of the ship where it would be drowned out by the faint rumble of the Gravity Stabilizer. Fox felt a rumble occur within him as well. A nervous and unnerving sort of feeling that refused to leave his body. He eventually came to a stop and leaned his back against the cool metal wall, a heavy breath leaving his lungs.

His actions over the past week rolled through his mind and while it brought him great joy to reminisce, he was also troubled by it. Troubled by his rash decision to do something without his team's immediate consent and their eventual reaction. Rash as it was, it was not something he could go back on nor would he ever consider it. Fox's decision came from a place where rational thinking was generally absent and insignificant.

In other words, a place from which he could find himself in some pretty deep shit if he wasn't careful.

But at this point in time, it may already be too late for that. Fox shook his head and pushed himself back to his feet. It was of little matter now. What was done was done and he needed to break the news to the others, difficult as that may be.

Continuing along the corridor, Fox came to his destination. Large printed letters in bright yellow advertised that he had reached the bridge of the Great Fox. He stopped at the door and took a deep breath before the doors slid open and he entered another short hallway that led to the command center. As he walked, he could feel that uncomfortable feeling well up inside him again but he pushed it down as he reminded himself of the reason for doing this.

A second door slid open and he was greeted with the familiar sight of control panels and massive window that revealed the beauty of the universe outside. He was greeted by another familiar sight as his comrades all stood around his command chair.

Just like old times.

Peppy and Slippy laughed about something as the two conversed with Falco. The would-be again Star Fox member cracked a cocky smile and said something which caused another bought of laughter. Fox wanted to smile at that but the truth was that he found it difficult.

He was thrilled that Falco was back.

He had missed his friend for eight years and when he came blazing through the stars to help him defeat Andross, Fox felt as if he had never left. But soon after the reunion, Falco's attitude seemed to sour and quickly. He was hostile and rude, more than usual. At least, that's what Slippy had told him. In truth, Fox had scarcely been around the Great Fox since their victory, opting to spend time on Dinosaur Planet. The reason as to why flashed in his mind and he felt a blush streak across his muzzle. He shook it off quickly as he approached them.

Now wasn't the time for that.

He would have to deal with Falco's behavior later. Right now, he had to address the situation at hand. They all stood at attention as he stopped in front of them. He swallowed hard.

"_You knew this wasn't going to be easy so just get it over with already."_ His mind told him.

"What's up, Fox?" Slippy asked.

"Yeah, Fox, what's with the group huddle? Pepper got some trouble that needs taking care of? Star Wolf dicking around again?" Falco added.

Fox noticed the falcon seemed a little more upbeat and even excited as the smile on his beak seemed to grow at the prospect of a fight. Much different than from what Slippy had told him.

"I've been thinking." Fox answered.

"There's a surprise." Falco replied, a smirk on his beak. Fox shot him a glare but continued.

"Well, this whole Dinosaur Planet fiasco made me realize that I think…I think we should make some changes."

The others all frowned in confusion. "What kind of changes, Fox?" Peppy questioned.

"We need to really to focus on what's really important in being mercenaries of the Lylat System. Helping those who need it, not for money."

"What? You mean work for free?" Slippy asked, looking at the vulpine as if he were crazy.

"Not for free, no, but let's be honest. We wouldn't have given this planet a second thought if General Pepper hadn't offered us so much."

"Hmm. I guess that's true." Slippy mumbled, rubbing his chin.

Fox looked to Falco and the bird shrugged with indifference. "As long as I don't starve and keep on flying I'll help an old lady across the street if you want." He said.

Fox looked to Peppy who adjusted his glasses in surprise. "That's very noble of you, Fox. Can't say that's something I disagree with." Peppy said smiling.

"And I think we should expand the team." Fox blurted out faster than he meant to.

There was a moment of silence as Falco, Slippy and Peppy all gave him a long hard stare. "What do you mean expand?" Falco asked, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

"I've asked Krystal to join the team."

Falco's beak nearly hit the ground and Slippy and Peppy slowly exchanged a look. Another silence hung in the air and Fox could sense that feeling in his stomach increase tenfold.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on," Falco sputtered, waving his hands in the air. "We've known this blue chick only for, what? A week? And you've asked her to join the team?" Falco asked, his feathers slightly bristling.

"So, what? She blows you and she gets a place in Star Fox?"

Fox's ears flattened against his head and let out a threatening growl.

"Don't talk about her like that."

"Well, excuse me if I worked my ass off to get my position in this squad and all she has to do is strut around in some trampy outfit. No way. I'm calling bullshit on this. And I think this whole 'noble' change is just an act to impress her."

"That's not true and I said don't talk that way about her." Fox growled again, his eyes narrowing at the bird. Falco crossed his arms and snorted.

"C'mon, Fox. You've spent every minute with her since she came onboard. Admit it. You're just trying to get your dick wet."

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Falco, or I'll shut it for you." Fox threatened, the fur on the back of his neck bristling.

"Try it, flea bag." Falco responded, his eyes narrowing at the vulpine now.

Fox took a step forward, ready to knock the avian's lights out but Peppy stood between the two.

"Alright you two, that's enough! Let's just calm down here."

Fox stepped back but his ears were still flat and he was clenching his fists into tight balls. Falco just looked away and let out a disapproving grunt. Peppy sternly addressed the two.

"First of all, Falco, don't think that just because you're back on the team that you can start throwing your weight around again. You up and left without a word so I don't think you have any authority to start any arguments right now."

Fox smiled inwardly but it was almost as if Peppy was expecting that.

"And, Fox, while I'm sure your heart is in the right place, I have to question your motives. We barely know this woman and the fact that you're offering her a position on the team raises a lot of questions."

"I know but it's not what you think," Fox protested. "She's a great pilot; she's been flying for almost her entire life. She told me Cerinia had starships and you saw the way she maneuvered that ship in here. No beginner can make a docking that smoothly."

"That still doesn't-"

"She tried to take on Andross with nothing more than that staff. She's got guts and she can fight. You said yourself that you were looking for someone to take your spot. She'd be perfect and…and…she's got nowhere else to go." He finished quietly.

Peppy's face softened but still questioned the vulpine.

"But she doesn't have the proper training, Fox. She may have been flying her whole life but I highly doubt she has any experiences with dog fights. Not to mention our more up close and personal missions on the ground. I'm sorry but I'm against this, Fox. I like her, I really do but it doesn't feel right to me to all of a sudden just give her a spot on this team and live this lifestyle. What happens if she gets killed?"

"More importantly, what if she gets us killed?" Falco added.

Fox's gut sank hard at the thought of any of those scenarios. He didn't want that to happen. But he couldn't just leave her there, alone. He won't let it happen.

"I know what you're saying, Peppy, but this is my decision. If she needs training then I'll train her myself." Fox said, looking his old friend in the eyes. Peppy sighed and crossed his arms.

"Do you really think she can handle this? Do you really think _you_ can handle this?" Peppy asked with the utmost seriousness in his voice.

"I'll be the one to worry about that, okay?" Fox answered back with a slight hint of aggravation in his voice.

Peppy didn't like his tone but he chose to ignore it. He shot a glance over to Slippy and asked the toad, "What do you think, Slip?"

"Oh…well, uh…." The mechanic mumbled as he exchanged eye contact with both team mates. "Honestly…I wouldn't mind having another hand on deck and it would be kinda nice to have a woman's touch around here."

"She's not going to be our maid, Slippy." Fox hissed at him.

"No, she's just going to be eye candy for our noble leader." Falco muttered a little too loudly to himself. Both Fox and Peppy stared daggers at him, the vulpine clenching his teeth so hard that they could crack.

"So that's a yes from you, Slippy?" Peppy questioned, trying to bring everyone back to the topic at hand.

Slippy took off his hat and toyed with the brim before saying, "Um…yeah, I guess. I like her. She's got a good heart and I wouldn't feel right about just leaving her here especially after what happened to her planet."

"Kiss ass." Falco mumbled under his breath.

Fox gave the amphibian a grateful smile and looked back to Peppy. The rabbit stared at his feet, the gears in his head turning forcefully and at a fast pace. He finally looked up and took his glasses from the bridge of his muzzle and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He put them back on and once again set a hard stare on the orange fox.

"Two to two it seems. So what do we do?"

"Well…" Slippy spoke up causing everyone to look at him again, "What about ROB?"

"What about ROB? What the hell does his say have to do with anything?" Falco asked confused.

"ROB is a part of this team just as much as you, Falco." Slippy shot back, narrowing his large eyes at the bird. "He has equal say in what we do as a team."

Peppy and Fox locked eyes again, neither one saying a word to the other. After what seemed like forever, Peppy sighed and with a casual wave of his hand, motioned for Slippy to make the call. The toad pressed a few buttons on his commlink attached to his wrist and within less than a minute, ROB's robotic body came through the bridge doors.

"Do you require assistance, Slippy?" His metallic voice buzzed as he came to a halt in front of the team.

"We sure do, ROB. Tell us, do you think that Krystal would be a good addition to the team or not?" Slippy asked. ROB's body went straight and his eyes turned yellow.

"Analyzing query."

The android was quiet for a few moments as his processor started to crunch vast amounts of data. Fox could feel his nerves starting to rise. This was not how he wanted this to go about. While the decision was primarily his, he couldn't just disregard his team like that. They had just as much to do with Star Fox's success as he did, if not more. He cast a look to Falco who met it for a second before sneering and turning his head away.

"Analysis complete." ROB finally spoke, his optical sensors returning back to their original color.

"Well?" Fox asked more impatiently than he wanted to let on.

"I have analyzed the variables of letting Krystal join the team. Based on data provided, she does not possess the necessary skills to be an advantage with an Arwing."

"See? Now let's get the hell out of here. We got some credits that need collecting." Falco triumphantly proclaimed, a slight smirk on his beak that annoyed Fox to no end.

"However," ROB interrupted, causing Falco to frown, "While she is not an asset in flight missions at this current time, she does possess exceptional skill in hand to hand combat and the increase of a team member would technically boost the success rate of missions if she is trained adequately."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Falco asked, irritation on the edge of his voice.

"Given the data analyzed, Krystal has an approval rating of sixty percent." ROB explained. Falco just stared at the robot, trying to figure out exactly what that meant. Seeing him struggle, Slippy let out a disgusted sigh.

"It means that's a pass. Jesus, Falco, no wonder you failed so many classes."

"Piss off, fatso." Falco growled back at the heavier set pilot.

"Hey! We all can't be in great shape like you and Fox! Besides, brain over brawn any day, lunkhead." Slippy shot back.

Falco was about to start a fight with Slippy now but one furious look from Peppy made the bird stop in his tracks and simply give Slippy the finger in response. The hare turned back to Fox and sighed heavily again.

"So it seems she gets the pass."

"Seems so." Fox replied, not breaking the tense eye contact with his old friend. Peppy simply nodded and let his arms fall to his sides.

"Fine, Fox. But if anything happens to her…it will be on your head. Just remember that."

With that, the old hare turned on his heels and left the bridge. Slippy just gave Fox a sympathetic shrug and followed Peppy. Falco gave Fox a glare and a disapproving head shake and followed the other two.

Fox let out a frustrated sigh. This was going to take a lot of hard work but he figured he should just focus on one thing at a time. Fox turned to his android.

"ROB, prepare my Arwing. I need to go to the surface."

* * *

Krystal sat on an old tree stump in ThornTail Hollow. Her hands sat neatly folded in her lap and her braided tail swished from side to side in anticipation. She reached up to brush a bang out of her face and noticed she was shaking.

"Stop it." She ordered herself. Krystal couldn't help but feel nervous and very scared about this new development.

Fox had asked her to join the team and she couldn't deny the excitement that went through her body. It was a chance for her to really pursue the fate of Cerinia. While it may seem that this Andross being had something to do with it, she couldn't know for sure. There were still so many unanswered questions. But perhaps by joining this team and that maybe with their help, she could start answering those questions. And after years of wandering the stars alone, it would be nice to finally have some company.

Especially with Fox.

Krystal's mind drifted to the orange fox and she felt a smile creep across her lips. Everything that had transpired over the week came flooding back to her and the smile widened.

She remembered being surrounded by darkness, her life being drained from her at a slow and tormenting pace. Then suddenly, there was the sound of her prison shattering and then a plummet down towards a gruesome death. Only it never came as her hand came in contact with something familiar. Looking up through the storm atop Krazoa Palace to see her rescuer with a friendly outstretched hand was like something out the stories her mother used to tell her when she was little. However, upon seeing her precious staff in the hands of another kept the vixen from appreciating the wonder of it all.

At the time, Krystal had little regard for the orange fox as all she cared about was having the only piece of history from her destroyed planet back. That and exacting revenge on the monster who was possibly responsible. The fox said something snide and sarcastic to her before taking off in his ship to engage the enemy and she dismissed him.

But as she witnessed him defeat Andross, the reality sunk in that this man had risked his life to save hers. Someone he didn't even know.

Guilt sunk in and she decided that thanking him would be the polite thing to do. Krystal had no idea how much things would change when she stepped out onto that bridge. She had no idea how eager she would be to spend time with someone she didn't even know.

Krystal looked over to her left to catch a glimpse of two ThornTails grazing near the entrance to the hollow's shop. They munched happily at the grass and one of them lifted its head to let out a loud bellow of content. Her ears twitched at the sound but did not break away from her recollection of the fox and his admirable qualities.

He seemed so shy when they talked. A dart of his eyes here and a stutter in his voice there. It was very amusing and made Krystal feel comfortable and even shy herself. His bravery and heroic demeanor was surpassed only by his sweet nature and warm humor that made her laugh. And, oh, was he _very_ handsome.

She felt her cheeks flare and looked to the sparkling stream that flowed through the hollow. In the week that they had spent together, Krystal would be lying if she said she hadn't felt an attraction to him. Many times during their walks around the hollow or conversations on board the Great Fox, she let her eyes wander whenever he wasn't looking.

She loved his eyes, the emerald orbs always filled with honesty and gentleness. His smile was inviting and kind. It was especially amusing when he was embarrassed as it tugged tightly at the corners of his muzzle. Very boyish and Krystal liked that. While she had never seem him wear anything other than his uniform, she could see hard cut musculature flowing up his arms, shoulders, all the way to his chest. She could only fantasize about the rest of him.

She blushed to herself again and forced herself to ignore the warm feeling that was arising through out her body.

Fox had treated her with nothing but respect and kindness since that fateful day. He put her up with a room for the first few days aboard the Great Fox, cooked her meals, let her use what they called 'a shower' and never asked for anything in return. He had done so much for her that she had to refuse his invitation to stay aboard again last night. She felt she was beginning to become a burden and opted to spend the night sleeping under the stars of the hollow.

He truly was a hero.

But Krystal had her doubts about his offer. What if the crew didn't want her there? She has spent most of her time with Fox and was unsure of their impressions on her. The hare, Peppy, he seemed nice enough and had a warm and gentle smile. The toad, Slippy, was very funny and his enthusiasm and high spirits made her smile. The bird, Falco was it? She didn't have much of an impression on him but he seemed to be quite sarcastic and smug. She got the feeling he didn't like her very much. She feared it was because of a reason that they might be suspecting.

Krystal feared that because of the time that Fox and she were spending together, they thought that she was merely trying to seduce him.

There have been fantasies. The vixen would not deny that. Late at night, she found that she would often dream about him, kissing her all over and letting his hands touch and rub where ever he pleased, only to wake up with a fire inside her and the racing of her heart. She did feel something for the mercenary and lust was a natural emotion that came with it.

But Krystal knew to keep her hormones in check and that even the idea of acting on those desires would only arouse the team's possible suspicions. That and it felt somewhat wrong to do something like that so soon into their friendship. Krystal had learned so much about him but there was still so much left to learn. She sensed that Fox might share similar feelings, similar _desires_, but this was not something she wanted to rush. She didn't want his team to think she was some other worldly harlot.

Due to all this, she told Fox that she would have to think about it. He seemed disappointed that she hadn't said yes right away but said he understood. Krystal told him that he could come see her the next day and she would tell him her decision.

The sound of an engine roaring faintly in the distance broke her from her stupor and caused her to look up. A rather beat up Arwing slowly lowered its way down from the sky and touched down in the clearing of ThornTail Hollow. A flock of Bloops fled from nearby trees as its engine slowly died and the ship came to a rest.

The cockpit hatch popped open and the savior of Dinosaur Planet himself hopped out. He landed with grace and looked around. He then spotted her a few yards away and Krystal could see the smile emerge on his face which caused one of her own to form. He jogged up to her, his metal boots making a soft padding sound on the grass.

Krystal stood up and walked forward a short distance as he came to a stop in front of her and gave her a sheepish grin. They held each other's gaze for a moment without speaking. A small gust of wind blew through the hollow; the flowers of the small meadow where Fox had found her staff billowed at their feet.

"Hi." He finally said.

"Hello." Krystal replied, slightly blushing.

"How was your night?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He always felt like such an idiot when he talked to her.

"It was good. Very relaxing and the stars were beautiful." She replied.

"I wish I could agree but I spent most of my time here trying to avoid getting eaten." Fox joked.

She let out a small laugh which was like music to Fox's ears. They stood there in silence again, each enjoying just being in the others presence. Fox was the first to speak.

"So…I know I already asked you this…and I know you said you would think it over…but…um…the offer still stands if you…uh…want to join the team." He finished weakly, staring at his feet. Krystal couldn't help but smile at his shyness. It never ceased to be cute.

"Well," She began. "There are so many questions I have about why what happened to Cerinia did. Are there any more Cerinians left or am I the last one?" She finished quietly, her face taking a somber expression. Fox felt his heart ache for the girl. What it was like to lose your entire world, loved ones and culture was something he could only relate a small fraction of.

"If I'm going to find out these answers, I'll need some help…and I very much enjoy spending time with your team…and you." Krystal said, her eyes locking with his.

Fox felt his heart beat like a drum.

"Is…that a yes?" He asked.

Krystal only nodded and Fox had to resist the urge to scoop her up and swing her around in pure joy. He settled for a large smile and stuck out his hand.

"Welcome to Star Fox, Krystal."

Krystal took his hand and he gently squeezed it, causing a tingling feeling to surge through her body.

"Come on. Let's get you settled in your new quarters." Fox said, still holding her hand. He guided her back to his Arwing when she suddenly asked,

"And your friends are okay with this?"

Fox froze for a moment and turned to face her. His ears slightly flickered and he cleared his throat.

"Yeah! They're all for it!" He exclaimed a little too enthusiastically and tugged on her hand to continue towards his ship. Krystal however refused to budge as her beautiful face had suddenly become crestfallen.

"They don't want me to join." She mumbled.

"No! That's not it at all!" Fox practically shouted. Krystal turned her head away and sighed. She could tell by the vulpine's body language and sudden change in demeanor that he was lying.

"Fox…" She began but was cut off.

"They do like you, Krystal. Really they do. It's just…they aren't used to the idea of expansion. We've been doing our own thing for so many years that it's hard for them to accept change." He lied. He couldn't insult her by saying what they really thought, Falco especially.

The blue vixen let out a laugh. But unlike her previous one that was sweet and lovely, this one was tired, sad and full of despair.

"So I am a burden." She whispered, almost inaudible.

Fox gripped her hand tighter and shook his head. "No, Krystal. It's not that at all. And it doesn't matter what they say. I'm the leader so what I say goes."

Krystal didn't respond. She stared towards the trees gently swaying in another breeze that blew through the hollow. Slowly, she turned her gaze back to Fox's.

"And what do you think of me?" She asked, her eyes losing that sparkle he had come to adore so much.

"You're brave, intelligent, compassionate and accepting. When people come to find out we're a bunch of mercenaries, they usually look down at us. You looked past that and got to know me. You came to this planet to save it, a planet you knew nothing about because that's the kind of person you are. I did it for the money."

Fox put his other hand over the one that was currently holding hers.

"I know that we haven't known each other for too long. But I want to change that. I want to know more about you. I want to help you find the answers you are looking for."

"Why?" Krystal asked.

Fox was silent for a moment. He knew exactly why he wanted her to stay. Because he wanted her. He wanted her in his life. Yes, he was attracted to her and there was an increasing amount of affection and interest that welled itself inside him but to tell her that now would only seem to make things worse.

"Because I know what it's like to lose something so dear to you that it follows you for the rest of your life. I don't want that for you. You're too good a person to be haunted like that. If you come with me, Krystal, I promise I will do everything in my power to help you find out what really happened to Cerinia and if there are anymore of you left in the Lylat. I promise you that." He finished.

Krystal could only stare at him as she searched his words for any form of deception or insincerity. But she could only find truth and sincerity in them, his eyes reflecting those very principles. She smiled at him again, his heart beating faster at a sign of happiness from the vixen.

"When can we get started?"

Fox felt himself grin from ear to ear.

* * *

"Peppy! Hold up!"

Peppy stopped in the middle of the corridor at the sound of his name. He turned to find Falco slowly jogging up to him. The bird came to a stop and performed a quick look around before setting his gaze on the original Star Fox member.

"You're not seriously going to let Fox do this, are you?" He asked quietly and with a most serious tone.

"Since when do you think that I have any authority over him?" Peppy questioned with a frown.

"Oh, come on." Falco grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "He listens to you. 'Cause you're…you know…old."

"I hope you meant 'wise'." Peppy growled with a narrowing of his eyes. "In any case, I don't think anything I said back there or in the future will deter him from this. You know how he is when his mind is set on something."

"His mind is set on pussy. That's not exactly the same as other decisions he made before."

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you." The rabbit sighed. "But we're stuck with this so we better make the best of it. Besides, Krystal may prove herself in the end."

"You don't believe that." Falco stated.

"Whether I believe or not is irrelevant at this point. As is any attempt to talk Fox out of this. So my advice to you would be to drop it for right now."

"Really? Just drop it? Peppy, this girl could get us _killed_ one day." Falco stressed, stepping closer to him. Peppy said nothing but Falco could see in his eyes that he was thinking the same thing.

"She's here for all the wrong reasons."

"Falco, drop it I said."

"But-"

"Pressing this issue is only going to make things worse. So for now, you're not going to say anything to Fox. I'll deal with Fox when we start assessing her. Is that understood?" Peppy asked, poking him in the chest to get his point across.

Falco frowned deeply at that. The idea of just ignoring this seemed insane to him. He couldn't let this die. But before he could even speak, Peppy must have read his mind as he spoke before he did.

"I said is that understood, Falco?" He repeated, a little louder and with more authority.

Falco was silent in protest but he eventually conceded with an _"Hmph"_ and looked away. Peppy gave him a wary look but accepted his answer and turned around to continue down the corridor. He did come to a stop however, just before the door at the end and turned back to Falco.

"If it makes you feel any better," He called out. "I think she'll be gone once she realizes what exactly she's got herself into."

Falco watched as the old rabbit turned back and exited through the sliding doors. He stood alone in the corridor, their conversation replaying in his mind. Falco snorted in disapproval and turned on his heel, heading back the other way. Peppy could plan this out as much as he wanted but ignoring it wasn't Falco's style. He'd do as he was told for now but when the time came, he would be ready to pounce on Fox's mistake.

He couldn't wait to see the look on his face.

* * *

_A/N: Well there's chapter one. The following chapters will all be in a different timeline around Krystal's training and the tension between her and Fox starts to build but how will his team mates start to react when things start to get rocky? Find out and read on! Cya! _


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Chapter 2! Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!  
_

_Big thanks to K.S. Reynard for pointing out some stuff I need to fix. I'll fix that for the future chapters. I'm by no means an expert but I'll do my best to avoid those mistakes.  
_

_Oh yeah, Star Fox and all characters belong to Nintendo._

* * *

Krystal wandered through the Great Fox, her braided tail swishing from side to side.

Her sandals made loud clopping noises against the meal floor that seemed to ring out all around her and disappear in each direction. It was a reminder of how enormous this ship really was. She often thought of how something that seemed almost mythological in a way could be built. With their destination in mind, the Cerinian hoped she would have a chance to learn and understand.

They had left Sauria, or Dinosaur Planet as they called it, behind a few days ago and with it, their recent adventure. Now the massive ship and her new home was sailing through the void of space towards the planet they called Corneria. She had heard Fox talk little of it and that it was his home world as well as their main base of operations. He seemed excited at the prospect of showing her the city and Krystal shared that enthusiasm. He had assured her that it was beautiful and while she did not doubt his claims, she could not help but feel a stab of sadness in her heart.

Nothing was more beautiful than Cerinia.

Krystal stopped when she felt something wet roll down her cheek and splash onto her thumb. The vixen wiped away the tears that had formed without her consent and held her face in her hand.

Faces from her past flashed through her mind in an instant. Friends, family, former lovers and a city so marvelous that to gaze upon it at sunset would render you speechless. The image threatened more tears to follow but she sniffed them back. She would have plenty of time for that later when she was alone.

"_You know if you ever want to…talk or anything, I'm not far away."_

Krystal smiled at that despite her sadness. Fox's face soon filled her head, replacing the heart wrenching memories. His shy and almost embarrassed look when he spoke those words warmed her to the core. It was a tempting offer but Krystal had decided to keep that pain buried for now. She had no desire to drop her emotional baggage on him after everything he had done for her so far. He had given her a home, a purpose and new friends.

Krystal cleared away anymore traces of heartbreak and continued on her way. She very much wanted her new friends to like her since most of them seemed wary of her presence onboard as a new member of Star Fox. She thought that it would help if she spent some time with them to learn more about them and show that she was ready and willing to be an asset to this team. That brought her to her current destination.

The Cerinian entered into a small elevator at the end of a hall and pushed a button that read 'Engine Room'. The doors hissed closed and she felt herself slowly descend further down the ship's bowels. It came to a stop and she stepped out, her ears twitching at the sound a loud humming. Krystal made her way across a long bridge that lead through the more mechanical parts of the Great Fox. She looked in awe at the sight of massive cables and humongous machinery that surrounded her.

In the distance, she saw a large cylinder that was a lit with bright yellow lights and various appendages and wires. It almost looked like some bizarre tree, something almost organic as it produced the humming noise. She stared at it for a moment longer before continuing towards the end of the bridge. Krystal entered through another series of doors, the humming becoming faint. She came to another hallway that split in three different directions. The blue furred beauty went left, a sign above her advertising 'Defense Cannon'.

As Krystal came to the main entrance she could hear the sounds of someone singing.

_I told the witch doctor I was in love with you_

_I told the witch doctor you didn't love me too_

_And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do_

_He said that ..._

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang_

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang..._

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang_

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang!_

She peeked her head out from the entrance to find Slippy tinkering away on some massive device identical looking to the twin cannons mounted underneath the Great Fox's bridge. Only this one appeared to be five times the size. Slippy had yet to notice her as he kept singing loudly, his feet tapping along to his rhythm.

_I told the witch doctor you didn't love me true_

_I told the witch doctor you didn't love me nice_

_And then the witch doctor, he game me this advice_

_He said to ..._

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang_

_Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang_

_Walla walla, bing bang... _

Slippy turned around then his singing stopped and was replaced by a frightened cry upon seeing Krystal standing atop the entrance way with an amused look on her face. The toad grabbed his chest in order to calm his beating heart and he leaned against the device, panting.

"Jeez, Louise!" He squeaked. "Give a guy a heart attack why don't ya!?"

"I'm sorry, Slippy. I did not mean to frighten you." Krystal giggled.

"That's okay. I just wasn't expecting anyone to be down here, much less you." He told her as she climbed down the ladder to join him on the platform. She looked around before setting her blue eyes on him.

"Should I not be here?" She asked.

"No, no!" Slippy quickly answered, his hands up as if to push that thought out of her head. "It's just I'm usually the only one down here. I thought maybe you'd be doing something with Fox."

"Fox said he would be training today. He asked me to join but I told him I would like to see the ship. If I'm going to be staying here than I would like to know as much as I can. I wish to pull my weight around as a member of Star Fox."

Slippy smiled at that.

"Well, if you keep that up then you'll be one of us in no time!" He told her, causing the vixen to smile herself.

"Do you require help with this?" She asked him.

"That's swell of you to ask but when it comes to repairs, unfortunately I'm the only one who can really pull his weight around." He chuckled.

"Are you sure? I'm sure I can assist you in some way." Krystal stated.

"Believe me, I got this." Slippy laughed, giving his wrench a twirl. "I'd hate to see you get that spiffy outfit all greasy. Hmm. Speaking of which, we should probably get you some more decent clothes once we reach Corneria. Uh! Not that you don't look great in that! I meant…uh…what I mean is-"

"It's alright, Slippy. I know what you meant." Krystal softly laughed. "I suppose I should start dressing to Cornerian standards now."

"Well, it's not like we mind!" Slippy said then his eyes widened again once he realized how that might have sound.

"Ah! I didn't mean like-that is to say-we're totally not creeps! I swear!"

Krystal covered her mouth with her hand to try and contain her laughter but had little success. Slippy looked away rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, his face beet red. Krystal shook her head at him, soft blue bangs swaying.

"You are too funny, Slippy. But I still wish to help you in some way."

Slippy cleared his throat and readjusted his cap. "I'm just about done anyway. Nothing but general maintenance. A few more tweaks and this baby will be up to date."

"And what is this exactly?" She asked, gazing upon the giant object. Slippy returned to the open panel that he had been previously working on and ducked his upper body inside to continue working.

"This is the Great Fox's Defense Cannon." His voice echoed from inside the panel. "It's our last option if there's ever a major attack on the ship."

"But aren't there twin cannons below the bridge?"

"Yeah, but those don't pack the punch this thing does." Slippy said as he emerged from the panel. He wiped his hands to signal he was finished and closed the compartment shut. "The twin cannons are for small enemy fighters or blasting asteroids out of the ship's path. This is for in case another class five battleship like the Great Fox decides to take a go at us. We've only used it once and when we did, there were some major fireworks, let me tell ya."

"I can imagine." Krystal mumbled, looking at the weapon with a look of prudence and awe.

Slippy tucked away his tools into a small kit and wiped his face with an old rag. "Well, I'm done here for now! Why don't you come with me back up to the main quarters? I can show you lots more up there." He offered.

Krystal smiled. "I'd like that."

The two left the Cannon Defense room and traveled back to the elevator. On the way, Krystal inquired about the large cylinder she had passed earlier.

"That's the Gravity Stabilizer. It's what keeps the ship from being sucked into a nearby planet's gravitational pull. If you ever see something funny going on with that, don't keep it to yourself."

She made a mental note of that, eyeing the contraption with caution. There was much to learn about this ship and Krystal couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. This technology and the sheer size of it in some cases were staggering. It made the technology on her planet seem primitive but perhaps that's because it was. She had been to many other planets and seen things that seemed to suggest Cerinia was quite low on the scientific totem pole. But science was such a small thing where she was from. There were so many other gifts to embrace.

Again, Krystal felt her throat tighten but she kept her cheerful demeanor.

They ascended back up towards the upper levels of the ship and Slippy gave her a grand tour. Fox had shown her some of the ship during their first few days of bonding but not in as much detail as Slippy was doing. He showed her the hangar where their Arwings sat and explained the launch sequence as well as all safety precautions when on the floor. He introduced her to ROB again and told her if she had any questions to just ask him. Krystal liked the android. For a machine, he seemed pleasant and polite.

He showed her the flight simulator which she would be using in the near future and she could not help but be intimidated. While she had piloted ships for years on Cerinia, it reminded her again that their technology was vastly different and flying was purely something for entertainment or competitions. The times they had used one to fight was far and few in-between. The mock canopy was a symbol of her new life and if she failed to be less than perfect…

Krystal blocked that thought. It would do her no good to scare herself of what may or may not be. Fox had faith in her. She needed to have faith in herself.

Slippy and Krystal climbed a series of stairs and came to another corridor. As they walked, she turned her head to him and asked, "Slippy, how did you come to be a member of Star Fox?"

"Heh. I like to say it was destiny." He replied with chuckle. "I've known Fox since we were kids. I didn't have many friends and I used to get picked on a lot. Being the guy he is, Fox would stand up for me, usually getting a black eye for his troubles. We were kinda inseparable after those days."

Krystal smiled at that and they passed through a sliding door.

"When Fox joined the flight academy, I went along with him. I had originally joined the engineering crew but after a few years I joined Fox's training squad. He had watched my back for so many years that I had to return the favor. When he reassembled Star Fox, I knew that becoming a mercenary was going to make life more dangerous and while it scared me, I couldn't let him risk his life all by himself. Although it turns out I wasn't the greatest pilot." He said sheepishly.

"Despite that, I think you are very brave and very loyal to do that for Fox. You are a good person and a good friend, Slippy. I am very happy to have met you." Krystal told him, a hand on his shoulder. The mechanic blushed but smiled back.

"Aw, that's really nice of you to say, Krystal. I'm happy to have met you too."

As they traversed the hallway, they came past a large window on the left hand side. Krystal stopped and peered through the glass to see a spacious room on the other side. A large mat occupied the left side of the area alongside what looked to be combat dummies and large sandbags hanging from chains. On the right side was a series of weight benches and workout equipment.

"That's the Training Room." Slippy informed her, staring along with her. "If you need a good workout or want to learn some combat skills, this is the place. Hey, there's Fox!"

Krystal diverted her attention past the weight equipment to a pair of treadmills near the back of the room. Fox was currently using one and from what she could see, he was using it to its maximum potential. Fox sped along the treadmill at full blast, his workout attire completely soaked in sweat. An oxygen mask was fixed over his mouth, the clear plastic fogging with every breath.

"Is he alright?" She asked somewhat worried by the strain on his face and the contraption over his muzzle.

"Oh, he's fine. This is pretty standard training for Fox. He'll be at that for a few hours."

"When will he slow down?"

"Knowing Fox, probably never." Slippy sighed with a shake of his head. Krystal looked at him in confusion. The amphibian took off his hat and wiped away a smudge of grease before telling her, "Fox has always been known to be a great shot and an even greater pilot. But what a lot of people don't know is just how fast he is. I've seen him run obstacle courses in seconds. If he wasn't a mercenary he'd probably have a least ten gold medals in the Lylat Olympics."

"Why does he push himself so hard?" Krystal said out loud more to herself than Slippy. Slippy didn't answer at first but after a heavy exhale through his nose he spoke in a more quiet tone.

"Don't tell him I told you this but a few years ago General Pepper ordered us to infiltrate a base on Macbeth. A high ranking political authority's daughter was kidnapped for ransom and we were supposed to get her out. Fox was able to get in unnoticed but tripped an alarm. He raced through that place to find her, nearly getting himself killed in the process. And when he did she…"

Slippy didn't finish his sentence, looking solemnly down at his feet. Krystal knew what he was trying to say and her heart ached at the thought of it. Slippy looked back up, watching Fox and his grueling exercise.

"He blamed himself for a long time. Said he wasn't fast enough. It drove him to make sure that it never happened again. We hated seeing him shoulder the guilt but in the end, I honestly don't think anyone in the Lylat System could keep up with him now."

Krystal and Slippy stood in silence, watching Fox. After some time, Slippy cleared his throat and motioned with his hand for her to follow him.

"C'mon. I'll show you the kitchen."

Krystal watched the vulpine for a moment longer before following Slippy. They traversed more hallways until they came to the kitchen. Slippy dropped his tool bag on a chair and opened the fridge. He rummaged around before poking his head out and asking her, "Did you want something, Krystal?"

"No, Slippy. I'm fine." She answered. Slippy pulled out a half-eaten sandwich and began to munch on it. He motioned to across the room with his head before swallowing his bite. "That's the break room there. We got lots of movies and video games so if you're ever bored, there should be something to keep you entertained."

"Video games?" Krystal repeated as if she had never heard of such a thing.

"Yeah. You know. Star Invaders, Space Odyssey, Temple Raider, Ratman and Finch."

Krystal blinked and slowly shook her head. Slippy stopped eating, his eyes widening in shock. His sandwich dropped from his hands before he spoke in astonishment.

"You…You've never played a video game?"

"I'm sorry, Slippy, but no. I'm afraid I have no idea what that even is."

"Well, hell! We need to fix that right now!" Slippy cried and grabbed her hand, yanking her over to the large television and couches.

"But what about your sand-_AH_!"

* * *

Fox wiped his face with a towel as he emerged from his shower. His legs ached but it was a welcoming feeling. Fox dried the rest of himself off, shaking water from his fur. He left his bathroom and pulled out a pair of shorts. He slipped them on and let out a loud yawn.

It was late and his training had gone on longer that he had planned for. Between the running and the free weights, his mind was constantly bouncing back and forth from Krystal to his team. It was easy to become distracted and it likely wouldn't be the last time.

Peppy and Falco had scarcely talked to him since leaving for Corneria. They were still upset with his decision it seemed. Fox sighed as he sat down on his bed. They would come over it eventually, Peppy sooner than Falco but it still annoyed him to no end. As he stared down at his feet, his thoughts slowly shifted back to Krystal.

He hadn't seen her for most of the day and he felt an urge to check up on her if only to simply be in her presence. Urges or not, he figured she was asleep and would not want to be disturbed. Fox didn't want to crowd her and spending time with the rest of the crew was a good idea. They could see in her what he did and maybe Peppy and Falco would get over this sooner.

There was a timid knock at his door that broke him from his thoughts and caused his head to lift up.

"Yes?" He called out.

"Um…It's Krystal."

Fox was on his feet immediately and hurrying over to his door. He pressed a button on the side of the wall and the door slid open to reveal a bashful looking blue vixen standing in front of him. She rubbed her arm as she offered him a soft friendly smile. His own followed shortly.

"Hey." He said gently.

"Good evening, Fox." She almost whispered. "I hope I didn't disturb you."

"Not at all. Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I just…"

Krystal paused when she noticed that Fox was standing before her in nothing more than a pair of shorts. Her eyes failed in holding his gaze and wandered his chiseled frame before they snapped back up to his face. Her cheeks flushed deeply and she brushed a stray hair from her eyes.

"I…just wanted…to talk with you but I see that you have prepared to retire for the night. I'm sorry I bothered you." Krystal said quickly before turning around to leave as to avoid more embarrassment. A strong but tender grip on her wrist prevented her from fleeing and she turned back to see Fox looking upon her with affectionate eyes.

"You're not bothering me at all. Please, come in." He said softly and polite. Krystal blushed again and let him lead her into his room.

The door hissed shut behind them and Krystal gazed around his room. It was much like her own but with a more personal touch. A tidy bed rested against the far side of the room, a porthole above it displaying a sea of stars. To the right was a desk with small computer setup and behind her was a dresser. A bathroom to her left lingered a smell of soaps and conditioners that signaled it had been used recently and a small nightstand stood next to the bed with a few pictures resting atop.

"You can sit down if you like." The orange fox told her with another smile. She shyly sat down on his bed, the mattress softly creaking from her weight. Fox stood where he was, not exactly sure what to do. Should he sit beside her? Would that be too close?

Krystal looked up at him and her eyes drank him up again before sending them down to floor embarrassed. Fox soon realized that perhaps he was making her uncomfortable standing there half naked. Cursing himself for being an idiot, he hurried over to his dresser.

"Sorry." He mumbled with rosy cheeks as he pulled out a shirt. "That's pretty rude of me. We're so used to just being guys around here."

"No, it's okay." Krystal told him, secretly enjoying the view she had been given. "I'm quite accustomed to it. Cerinia had a very warm climate and many men wore almost less than that. If anything, I should apologize. My attire must be…inappropriate."

Fox slipped the shirt over his head before failing to steal a glance at the gorgeous woman on his bed.

Inappropriate or not, Fox could not deny how alluring that outfit made her. It allowed him to experience every small movement her lithe and athletic body made from the flick of her tail to the tantalizing sway of her hips that drove his hormones wild. A canvas of strange blue fur that provided him with a temptation to run his fingers through, hoping that it felt as soft and silky as it looked. The gold and white loincloth that hung perfectly from her waist highlighted her toned stomach that threatened to bring forth fantasies of planting small kisses from her navel all the way up to her ample bosom covered so teasingly with that odd tribal top. Gone were her armored bracelets and footwear though her jewelry still remained and if anything it only made her appear even more stunning. Like a real life princess.

"No, it's fine." Fox said, his brain fighting the desire to tell her how amazing she really looked. "We can get you some new clothes once we hit Corneria. Besides, that clothing must mean a lot to you."

Krystal bit her lip, looking down to the floor again. They did mean a lot to her. Other than her staff, it was the only thing she had left of what remained of Cerinia's culture. Fox felt his ears sag and he mentally kicked himself for bringing that up.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Krystal. That was stupid of me."

"No, it's alright. It's not like I'm ever going to really forget." She said quietly. Fox took a step towards her, hesitated, and then sat down on the bed beside her.

"I don't think anyone ever does." He told her softly, speaking from experience.

Neither fox spoke and an uncomfortable silence hovered around them. Fox was the first to speak although he was sure to tread lightly this time.

"Is…Is this what you wanted to talk about?"

Krystal sighed to herself. So much pain was welled up inside her that it was almost unbearable. She wanted so much to fall into his arms and cry until there was nothing left. But she held firm on control of her emotions. Krystal still felt it was wrong to do that to him. It wasn't fair to Fox and she didn't want to look weak in front of him. She felt a grin tug on her lips at that thought.

While her brain told her that, Krystal knew in her heart that she was wrong. That if she told him what she thought, he would deny it so vehemently. That he would hold her tightly and whisper kind and soothing words into her ear, making her feel warm all over. Because that was the man that he was. Her hero. That thought alone provided her with comfort that few ever could. Krystal looked back up to him and offered a sad smile.

"No. I only wished to speak with you as I had not seen you for most of the day. I very much like talking with you, Fox." She said, her smile becoming a little warmer.

The vulpine felt his own develop though he felt that she was bottling things up inside. He knew not to push her however. She would talk when she was ready.

"I like talking to you too, Krystal." He concurred.

Fox looked her over again, his heart thudding upon seeing every curve and every bend. His eyes focused back on her and the questioning look she was giving him. Fox realized he had been caught staring. Panic swept his nerves and he cleared his throat.

"Sorry, I was just…admiring your tattoos." He bluffed. Krystal gave him a wider smile, showing some teeth this time and he let out a silent sigh of relief.

"Thank you. Some Cerinians had their whole bodies covered in them."

"May...May I ask what they are?"

She could see the hesitation on his face and the fear that perhaps he would upset her again. Krystal could not help but feel touched again by his reservations to protect her feelings. In truth, Krystal felt happy to be able to share some of Cerinia's knowledge with a stranger. For years she had only thought about its destruction and to be able to reminisce about what made her who she was, brought a small bought of comfort.

"Certainly." Krystal nodded and turned to face him more. "Marking on my planet defined Cerinian culture. They were a way of establishing your presence in society. The more markings you had, the higher your authority and importance."

"Huh. Sort of like the military. We have ranks of people within the army and they're position is shown with badges and medals."

"That does seem similar but markings were also a symbol of spiritual connection with the planet and its inhabitants. Much of my culture revolved around connections like this. Even our technology."

"Like…like your staff?" Fox asked in surprise. He never thought about it but he had no idea how the thing even worked much less how he managed to make it work.

"Yes. We designed our weapons and our ships to be able to connect with us. To be a part of us. To make something do what we wanted, we just had to think about it."

"So…how was I able to use your staff?"

"You received my message didn't you? Or have you forgotten that adventure already?" Krystal asked playfully. Fox could never forget the sound of such a wondrous voice filling his head. Krystal continued.

"Since my staff was a part of me, I naturally was a part of it. You were able to use my staff because it sensed that I was in danger and that whoever was wielding it had a pure and open heart. It would not have worked for Scales or anyone else."

"That's pretty amazing." Fox admitted with an awed shake of his head. He looked at the tattoo on her arm, the tiny box like designs with something that looked like a capital 'L' encircling her bicep. "So what was your status?" He inquired, eyes locking with hers again.

"My family lived in one of the largest temples on Cerinia." She said, pride in her voice. "My father and mother were known as Spirit Talkers. This meant that they were able to speak to the planet."

"Wait, what? Speak to the planet? Like, the _actual_ planet?"

"Yes." Krystal answered with a nod of her head. "From the smallest creature to the wind itself. My parents had such a strong connection that the earth spoke to them and told them where to harvest crops and which game was the most plentiful. But in return we had to respect the planet and what it offered us. We did not over hunt and we did not clear forests for more space than was needed. If the soil was damaged, we would repair it. If the fish's path upstream was blocked, we would clear it. My parents taught me all of this and they began to train me in the ways of Spirit Talking."

"You were a Spirit Talker then?" Fox asked, eyebrows rising in curiosity. Krystal felt her smile falter and she sighed again, shaking her head.

"No. I was only a year into my training when…it happened."

"Sorry. I did it again. I'm such a shit head." Fox hissed to himself. He felt Krystal squeeze his hand and he looked back to see her back to her gentle beautiful self.

"No you're not." She told him.

"You'd be the first to say that." He chuckled. Krystal laughed and Fox felt warmth spread through his chest at the sound.

"My markings were given to me after I completed one of many trials." She began her story again. "The arms symbolized that I was able to connect with the animals of the planet. I was able to speak with them through their own language."

"Is that how you were able to speak to the dinosaurs?"

"Indeed. But that was the simplest of skills to learn. Next was speaking to the earth which was much more difficult. That is represented by these." Krystal motioned to her legs and she turned on her side a little so Fox could see the spiraling sun design on both sides of her upper thighs.

Fox thought those were his favorites.

"The last one I had learned was an elemental connection. After becoming one with the planet, if it felt you were worthy, it would offer you its gifts. This meant I could harness possession of the elements through my staff for brief periods of time."

"Ah. So the fire blast and earthquake move."

"Yes. That is represented by this one." Krystal turned around and Fox could look upon her small tattoo that rested on her lower back just above her tail.

Scratch those last ones. _This _was his favorite.

"Before the incident, my mother was training me in telepathy." She said, turning back to face him.

"Telepathy? You mean…mind reading?" The vulpine asked.

Fox felt his heart stop for a moment as any icy sensation gripped at it. Panic again flooded its way into his brain as he thought about what that meant. Had Krystal been able to read his mind this whole time? His fingers gripped the sheets on his bed tightly. His thoughts about her recently have been less than…appropriate.

"Yes but I had not received enough training to utilize it." Krystal murmured. Fox had to keep himself from falling to the ground in relief and he let out a shaky breath. The vixen did not notice and continued along. "I've been told that one can train themselves if they open their minds enough to listen but it can take many years to be able to grasp a single thought from another's head."

"Well…I'm sure if anyone could do it, it's you." Fox encouraged but hopeful she never discovers that talent.

Krystal smiled at him again and said, "Thank you for saying that."

Again they were quiet and when they realized they were staring at one another again, they bashfully turned their heads. This made Fox think of something he had not considered. A second thought told him to keep quiet but his curiosity overruled his better judgment. With an awkward rub of the back of his head, he asked Krystal,

"Say…what was, uh, dating like on your planet?"

Krystal stared at him with a blank expression that made his nerves jump. Her eyes widened in realization and she gave a half smile.

"Oh. Dating. You mean as in courtship?"

"Y-Yeah. Not that I'm wondering for any particular reason or anything. Just curiosity…and…uh…Slippy was curious too?" Fox added at the end, poorly trying to cover up his embarrassment. How stupid he must sound.

Krystal giggled as his flustering. It was very adorable. Her tail flickered playfully across his own which caused his right eye to twitch.

"Well, you can tell Slippy that courtship on Cerinia was similar to what I imagine Cornerian standards would be. Kindness, strength, compassion and humility were all very desirable qualities." She said tenderly, looking at Fox with half lidded eyes.

"O-Oh. He'll be glad to hear t-that." Fox stammered, the inside of his ears a bright red.

"Oh? Does Slippy have a liking for Cerinian girls?" Krystal asked, edging a little closer to him. While she knew she shouldn't be flirting with him, it was undeniably amusing to see the brave and valiant Fox McCloud reduced to that of a teenage boy. Fox flustered more and looked away in embarrassment. When he did, Krystal caught a glimpse of one of the pictures on his nightstand.

It was a picture of a very pretty vixen, her fur a shimmering orange and eyes that held a deep kindness and dignity. Krystal's amusement was suddenly replaced by a fierce jealousy and a hint of fear. The sudden change in emotion surprised her.

"Who is that? She is very pretty." She found herself saying. She hoped it did not come out as snide. Fox looked at the picture and smiled. It was a smile of love and longing. Krystal could feel her heart sink at that smile.

"Yeah, she is isn't she?" He sighed.

"Is this…"Krystal paused, not sure if she wanted to ask this question. "Is she your…mate?"

Fox snapped his head over to her with an odd look. It faded however when he smiled and shook his head with a chuckle. He picked the portrait up and handed it to her.

"This is my mother." He said.

"…Oh." She replied.

Krystal's face burned fiercely and she felt like crawling into a hole somewhere dark and abandoned. She looked over the picture of Fox's mother and could see the similarities the two shared. The most significant she found was that the vixen had the same eye color as him, a wonderful emerald green that almost shone like a jewel. Krystal smiled at him.

"You have her eyes." She told him softly. He nodded, taking the picture back and placing it on the nightstand.

"She's beautiful, Fox. She must be very proud of you."

Fox's own smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed in discontent. With a small cough he folded his hands into his lap, still looking at the picture. "She died when I was just a baby." He revealed.

"Oh, Fox…I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. You didn't know."

"And…your father?" There was a picture beside it of a vulpine who bore an uncanny resemblance to him with a pair of dark shades covering his eyes. She could only assume that this was Fox's father.

Fox lifted his eyes to her and looked as if he were about to speak but stopped. Krystal could see a sadness reflected in his eyes and she knew that it was similar to her own. Another wave of guilt hit her.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it one day." Fox said, giving her lopsided grin to show her he wasn't upset. "But…it's late. I don't want to keep you up. You must be tired."

It was true that she was tired from the day's activities but she felt a tremendous surge of remorse for bringing up the fox's tragic past when he was trying to comfort her about her own. As if reading her mind, Fox squeezed her hand with his own. She looked up to see his handsome face, a kind and reassuring grin across his muzzle. She found herself returning it as all negative feelings seemed to fade away.

"Thank you." She told him.

"For what?"

"For being you."

Fox looked away with crimson cheeks again and cleared his throat. "Um…Sure. No problem." He mumbled.

Krystal stood up and Fox walked her to the door. It hissed open and she stepped out into the hall. She stopped with her back to him and then turned to face him. Her mouth opened to speak but then closed as if she was unsure on how to speak. Krystal tried again and found the words this time.

"I was told not say anything but…Slippy told me something about you today."

"…Oh. Uh, nothing bad I hope?" Fox answered somewhat timidly. The blue vixen shook her head.

"No, no. He told me about something that happened on a planet you call Macbeth. It involved a girl."

"…I see." Fox said quietly, his posture taking a sudden tense and uncomfortable position.

"Please don't be mad at him. It was I who asked." Krystal informed him. "I just wanted to say that you should not blame yourself for what happened. You did what you could under the circumstances. No one could ask more than that."

Fox studied her for a moment before his eyes dropped to the ground and he simply nodded. He felt a gentle hand tip his chin up and Krystal's face was dangerously close to his.

"You don't need to push yourself anymore. After all, you were fast enough to save me."

She leaned in close and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Her scent hit his nose and his eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. She pulled away and offered him one last smile before turning to leave.

"Krystal."

Her name left his mouth without his permission and she turned back to him. He could only stare at her with an open mouth before attempting to speak.

"I…I just wanted to…" Fox tried but found no success in what he was trying to say. He didn't so much as wanted to say anything but rather do something instead. She smiled again and gazed at him in anticipation to what he was going to say. Even in the dimly lit hallway, her eyes still reflected in the light and never had he seen such a piercing blue color.

God, he wanted to kiss her.

Realizing he was standing there like an idiot with his mouth open collecting flies, Fox shook his head and held up his hand.

"Just stay there. I'll be right back."

Fox disappeared back into his room and a few moments later, he returned. He walked up close to her and the two held each other's vision for a few seconds before his eyes dropped down to his hands. Krystal followed and saw that he was holding something.

"I wanted to give this to you." He said shyly. "I figured you might want to wear something different to bed for a change."

Krystal took the item from his hands and it was revealed to be a red shirt with the words 'Corneria Flight Academy' on the front in bold white letters. There was even an Arwing underneath the font. She looked back up to him in surprise.

"This is yours. I can't."

"Well, I'm letting you borrow it until we find something for you but for now it's yours. It's a little big but should keep you warm."

Krystal looked at it again and she felt her heart swell for the man in front of her. Without thinking, Krystal wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his neck. She felt his body stiffen then slowly relax as his own arms wrapped around her.

"Thank you." She whispered to him. Her breath tickled his neck and he felt a shudder run through his body.

"You're welcome, Krystal." He whispered back.

They held each other for a few seconds before Krystal pushed away and both foxes hated the sudden retreat of bodily warmth. She smiled at him for the last time that night and disappeared down the hallway to her own room. Fox lingered in the hallway, the sensation of her lips still burning on his cheek. He retreated to his room and when the door closed behind him, he quickly removed his clothing and headed for the bathroom again.

He needed another shower.

A cold one.

* * *

_A/N: I've decided to treat this story as if Assault had yet to exist and that Krystal's telepathy had yet to be a factor. I found that the telepathy factor would make things too easy for her to determine how people view her and I'd like her to actually interact with the characters rather than read their minds. But I did feel I should at least mention it as a possibility for the future. _

_I kinda wanted to make a reference to Fox's speed as it's such a big factor in Smash Bros. and I figure it's one of his biggest traits that no one really realizes._

_Also, I realize that Krystal might seem a little...Avatarish. That's not my intention but I can see the similarities. I've always liked the more spiritual and primitive portrayal of Cerinians and thought that I should try and give her some more background and a reason for her tattoos._

_Thanks again for reading and if you are kind enough to favorite it or follow the story, it would be awesome if you could also leave a review. Much appreciated!_

_Chapter 3 up in a few days!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Chapter 3 in da house! Remember, the following chapters will be further down the road in Krystal's training.  
_

* * *

Krystal pushed down hard on her thrusters, the sudden kick of force driving her back into her seat.

The enemy had kept on her tail for the last minute and she needed to put some distance between her and them. Her ship soared through the open void of space and once she was finally out of range, she performed a sharp angle turn and cut across, avoiding the large asteroids that floated by endlessly. It seems the other ship was prepared for that as it fired a barrage of high speed lasers at her Arwing. Seeing she wasn't going to make the speed to dodge them, she pulled one thruster back and the other one forward, causing the Arwing to perform a barrel roll. The lasers struck the high velocity of the spinning ship and bounced harmlessly off into nearby smaller asteroids causing them to explode. Krystal couldn't help but smirk.

She had him now.

With a hard yank back on her controls, the Arwing somersaulted mid-way before straightening itself out and right behind the enemy ship only a few yards away. She punched a few buttons on the control panel in front of her and her vid screen centered between the thrusters turned red, signaling that her lock on mode was now online. Krystal followed the enemy ship as it bobbed and weaved its way through the asteroids trying to lose her but she kept on its tail, staying behind it as much as possible.

The ship had finally straightened out and into an open space and Krystal could see the vid screen come alive with a picture of the enemy vessel. It highlighted the ship in bright yellow and flashed a few numbers before a satisfying number of beeps were heard.

"Target locked on." A stale robotic voice spoke in her headset.

Krystal grit her teeth. This was it. She pushed down once more on the thrusters to pick up speed. The closer she was, the better chance of a kill shot. The vixen was so close that she could see the rear tail fins of the enemy ship. Satisfied that this was all the space she needed, Krystal moved a thumb to a button on the side of her thruster and pressed down on it hard, preparing to pull up in order to avoid the explosion.

Only it didn't happen. She pressed on it again and again but the Arwing did not fire.

"Weapons malfunction." She heard the voice in her headset tell her and she cursed silently.

The enemy ship now performed a somersault of its own and was directly behind her. A laser sliced by her canopy, her right wing taking a bit of damage. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead and dripped off her muzzle and the end of her nose as her mind furiously tried to come up with a solution. Another flash lit up her canopy from behind and her ship shook violently from the force of the laser's impact. Warning lights and signals went off telling the blue furred beauty that the Arwing could not take another hit.

Krystal was in deep trouble. She had no weapons and her ship was on its last legs. There was no way that she could survive this.

It was then that she seemed to finally become aware of the fact that they were in the middle of an asteroid field. An idea lit up in her brain like a wildfire and she picked out the closest and largest one, pushing her Arwing to its top speed straight towards it. The enemy ship began to match her speed and chase after her. Krystal could see the giant rock come closer and closer as well as the roar of the engine of the ship behind her.

"Warning. Warning. Enemy has locked on to ship. Warning. Warning." Her headset told her.

She tightened her grip on the handles as the gargantuan rock filled her canopy and with all of her strength pulled back and the Arwing shot upwards, the very tip of the nose scrapping off the asteroid. The other ship however, being blocked by Krystal's Arwing, ran straight into the boulder. A large explosion lit up behind her as her ship climbed higher up into the stars.

"Simulation over. User wins."

Krystal fell back in her seat, letting out a sigh of relief. The canopy popped open and she was greeted by the smiling faces of Fox and Slippy.

"Great job, Krystal!" Slippy croaked, giving her a thumbs up. Fox's smile beamed brightly towards her as he helped her from the Arwing simulation. She stepped out and was a little taken back when her gently grasped her by the waist and helped her down onto her feet.

"You did fantastic, Krystal. That was one of the harder simulations." He told her, smile still on his face. The vixen blushed at his kind words and even kinder smile.

"Thank you." She said meekly.

"I'm serious. That was some major thinking on your feet. Right, Peppy?" Fox said, looking over to the hare. Peppy stood to the side, arms across his chest but a small smile on his face.

"Yes, very impressive. You are doing very well, Krystal."

Krystal gave the older Star Fox member a gentle and sincere smile that caused his to grow a little wider.

"You'll be in your own Arwing in no time. You're getting better and better every time. I'm really proud of you, Krystal." Fox told her softly, his eyes locking onto hers. Krystal could feel her pulse quicken under the vulpine's stare which was becoming a regular occurrence.

"You can let go of me now. I don't think I will fall now that I'm back on solid ground." She said softly with a shy smile.

Fox finally noticed that he was still holding her waist despite the fact she was already down from the simulator. He quickly retreated his hands and gave her an apologetic smile. Krystal felt her own increase as his shy and nervous behavior revealed itself again. Slippy grinned to himself as he looked at them both but it faded slightly when he noticed Peppy. He wore a somewhat worried and pensive expression while observing both Krystal and Fox. In fact, now that he thought about it, he seemed to look that way a lot whenever they were together.

He knew that Peppy wasn't too fond of Krystal being here at first but the old guy seems to have warmed up to her over the last few weeks. And why wouldn't he? She was great to have around and her training was vastly improving every time. But try as he might to ignore it, even Slippy knew the real reason of concern and it was right in front of him with both foxes smiling awkwardly at each other.

It was obvious that Fox liked her. _Really_ liked her. And it was pretty obvious that she liked him too. Even more obvious was that both of them seemed terrified of the other, neither seeming to want to make a move. But Slippy could understand the reasons for holding back and one them was currently leaning against the entrance of the Simulation Room.

Slippy cast a look towards Falco who picked at his teeth with a toothpick and watched everything from his spot. The avian grimaced when Fox gave her another compliment.

"I'm sure in no time you'll beat both Falco and mine's high score."

Falco laughed to himself, causing everyone to turn towards him. Krystal put on another shy smile and said, "I don't think I'll ever be that good. Certainly not better than you or Falco."

She directed her smile to the blue falcon now, implying that it was a friendly compliment and she knew her place among the ranks. Whether or not Falco noticed that was undetermined as he flicked away his toothpick.

"Yeah, she did alright…for simulation." He scoffed, causing her smile to slowly disappear and a frown of Fox's to form.

"It's different out there, honey." He gestured to a porthole with a nod of his head. "Out there you don't get second chances or a gold star for a barrel roll. Out there, if you fuck up, you die. Or one of us dies. So keep practicing. I feel so much better to know that my back's being watched by the high scorer."

With that, he turned and left, the Simulation Room doors hissing open then shutting. It was quiet for a moment then. Peppy narrowed his eyes at the spot where Falco once was, not pleased with what he had just said.

Even if he did have a point.

Slippy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and looked back to Fox and Krystal. Fox was practically seething with rage and Krystal looked completely crestfallen and embarrassed. Once Fox regained his composure, he turned to Krystal but before he could speak, she interrupted him.

"It's alright, Fox…he's right." She practically whispered.

"No he isn't. Once we get you your own Arwing, everything will be different. We can train out there and you'll be prepared for anything."

Krystal offered him another smile only this one seemed to have lost its charm and the heartwarming effect it caused in him. It wasn't one of her smiles. At least not a real one. Fox could feel his anger starting to rise again when he thought of the reason for her discomfort.

"Excuse me for a second, guys." He said in a low and reserved voice as if he was holding something back. Slippy could see where things were heading and before Fox could even take step to the exit, he cut him off by stepping in front.

"Hey, Fox! Why don't you take Krystal to the kitchen? I'm sure all that training has made her pretty hungry." He pointed out. Fox stared down at him, fully aware of what he was trying to do. Just as he was about to push past him, Krystal's soft voice graced his ears.

"Actually…I am a little hungry."

Fox turned back to her and met her gaze, his anger instantly fading. He looked back to Slippy who gave his leader a sly wink. Fox failed to hold back a chuckle and a shake of his head. He diverted his eyes back to Krystal and jerked his thumb towards the door.

"C'mon then. We're all pretty bad cooks but I can make a mean stack of pancakes."

Krystal laughed at his comment which caused another smile to return to his lips. He would never get tired of that sound. Fox led her out of the Simulation Room, leaving Peppy and Slippy by themselves. When the foxes were finally gone, Peppy flashed a stern and upset look towards the toad.

"What?" Slippy asked, feeling the heat of the rabbit's stare.

"I wish you wouldn't encourage things."

"Encourage? You mean Fox and Krystal? Oh, relax, Peppy!" Slippy laughed with a wave of his plump hand. "So they like each other, big deal. You and Falco seem to think that it's the end of the world that they have this thing going on. Who's it going to hurt?"

Peppy didn't say anything. He simply frowned and made his way to the exit. The door slid open and he cast a sideways glance back to Slippy.

"It's going to hurt Fox, Slippy. It's going to hurt him very much if she ends up getting killed."

With that he left, the door closing and nothing but silence was left to keep the lone Star Fox member company. He scratched the top of head, Peppy's words bouncing around in his brain.

He supposed the old man had a point.

Slippy had not thought much of that possibility as the foreign vixen had done so well so far. He would even go as far to say that she was already a better pilot than him. But they've all had some pretty close calls in the past including himself. Fox took it pretty hard when Slippy had gotten shot down on Titania years ago even though it was the toad's fault for breaking formation. Not to mention the Macbeth incident. The image of something happening to Krystal flashed in his mind and the vulpine's would be reaction. It made him shudder.

Slippy shook his head. He shouldn't think like that. Krystal was strong, intelligent and if anything, fearless. She'd be okay. And if there was any trouble, Fox wouldn't let anything happen to her just like how he wouldn't let anything happen to them.

He shook off his thoughts again and exited the room. Slippy traveled through the Great Fox's many corridors, the Engine Room his main destination. The main fuse pump was acting up again and he had to keep in as good as shape as possible before the new one could arrive. On the way there, he could see the light from the ship's kitchen peeking from underneath the door. Faint voices could be heard from behind and Slippy, naturally curious as he was, stopped just outside the door.

"They should be ready in a few more minutes."

"Thank you, Fox. They smell delicious."

"Well, you would be the first to say that and probably mean it."

"…"

"Krystal? Are you okay?"

"Yes…I'm fine. The simulation took a little more out of me than I thought."

"It's about what Falco said isn't it?"

"…No. I just…"

"Krystal, please don't take anything he said personal. He's still not use to the idea of having someone new around here. He'll come around."

"Fox…I do not wish to be a nuisance to anyone. I cannot come between you and your friends."

"You are not a nuisance, Krystal. Do you understand? You are a part of this team and Falco needs to get that through his thick skull. I don't ever want you to think something like that again, okay?"

"…Okay, Fox."

Slippy could hear the insecurity in her voice and he felt a wave of sympathy for the vixen. He knew that Falco could be difficult but he didn't realize just how far he went out of his way to make Krystal feel unwelcome. As if on cue, the brash pilot appeared, coming around the bend of the opposite corridor. He stopped at the kitchen door and sneered.

"Let me know when they're done humping in there so I can make some lunch." He said as he brushed past his smaller greener team mate.

Slippy could hear his boots clang against the metal floor as he continued down the hall. Feeling a surge of anger rise in his veins, Slippy spun around and followed the falcon. He caught up with him and he reached into his tool belt and pulled out a screwdriver. With a fast whip of his hand, he sent the tool flying towards Falco, barely missing his head and bouncing loudly off the wall. Falco whipped around, hand on his blaster and eyes wide in surprise. When he saw Slippy standing in the hall, he frowned and released his grip on his weapon.

"Did you just throw a screwdriver at me!?" He yelled, ire now overcoming his shock.

"Why do you need to be such an asshole all the time?" Slippy shot back, eyes narrowed at him.

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Falco demanded to know.

"Like you have to ask. Why are you such a prick to Krystal? She's been nothing but nice to you!" Slippy shouted, pointing a finger at him.

"Oh, fuck off, Slippy! She's not a mercenary! You know that!"

"No I don't and neither do you! She's proving herself with every training session but you just shit all over things and disrespect her!"

"Hey, I respect her! I respect her so much that I don't want to see her get killed or worse, one of us! So if me being an asshole gets that through her head and everyone else's, then so be it! Besides, we all know the real reason she's here. How in the hell can you not see that it's a bad idea!?"

"So you just would have left her on that planet with nowhere to go? No home, no idea how to answer the question of why Cerinia was destroyed?" Slippy asked, hands on his hips.

"Yeah, I would have. She would have been safe there. It sucks to know that her entire planet is gone but we both know that had barely anything to do with why Fox asked her to join." Falco growled.

"Yeah, okay. Fox likes her. I'll admit that had something to do with why she's here but I trust Fox. He wouldn't just ask her to join if he didn't see any potential or if she had someplace to go." Slippy argued.

"I trust Fox but not when he's thinking with his dick. You need to open your eyes, Slippy. She can't cut it here and sooner than later you and Fox are going to see that. It might be a little harder for him as I'm sure he'll be busy stuffing her like a turkey."

Slippy said nothing but made a face of disgust at Falco's crudeness and shook his head. He turned back around and headed towards his original goal. But he stopped and threw a disapproving look at Falco.

"Krystal is part of our team whether you like it or not. And if you're so concerned with safety, then maybe you should try helping her get better instead of insulting her." He said and left before Falco could respond.

Falco stood where he was, irritation itching throughout his body at the toad's words. Were he and Peppy the only sane ones around here? He waved off Slippy's lingering presence and headed back to his quarters. Peppy's stern advice from weeks ago when this all started rolled through his head and he fought back a sneer. Peppy be damned. One of these nights, he and Fox were going to need to have a serious discussion.

That is if he could pry him away from the sapphire vixen for more than ten minutes.

* * *

Peppy scratched his chin as he perused through another book in the ship's library.

His eyes scrolled through the text behind his glasses then narrowed in frustration when he could not find what he was searching for. With a grunt, he closed the book and slid it back into its resting place among others on the shelf.

"Maybe I should look at those maps again…" He mumbled to himself.

Working his tired body around the desk in front of him, Peppy opened a cabinet full of maps from different sectors of the Lylat System. He had already searched them over but perhaps he missed something. He was getting old after all, not that he wanted to admit it. With an armful of papers, he sat back down and spread them out on the desk. He started with Sector Y this time and studied the nearby planets and astral bodies when he heard a faint rap on the wall. Peppy looked up to see Krystal standing in the doorway shyly.

"Hello, Peppy. I hope I'm not disrupting you." She said.

Peppy offered her a smile and shook his head. "Not at all, Krystal. What can I do for you?"

"Well…I was just wondering if I could sit with you for a while?" She asked timidly. Peppy was taken aback by that request.

"Oh…If you like. I don't mind at all. Are you sure you wouldn't rather do something else though? Slippy has more video games than most fifteen year olds."

"Yes, he has introduced me to these games with great vigor." She replied with amusement. "But I would like to spend some time with you. I feel we have not associated enough as I have with others."

"Well, if you don't mind hanging around an old man for a bit, I would very much like to change that as well." He told her earnestly.

While Peppy was still not convinced that her being here was a good idea, he could not deny that she was a very lovely girl that reminded him of his own daughter. She had a delightful attitude and Peppy found her impossible to dislike despite the circumstances. Krystal smiled and joined him at the table. She looked over his maps and asked him,

"What are these?"

"These are my maps." He told her, fixing his glasses so he could read the small print of text. "I'm the team's navigator and adviser so it's up to me to plan out the best course to take when assigned mission."

"I see. Were you not a pilot as well?"

"Years ago. But it seems time is staring to catch up with me. My reflexes aren't what they used to be." He chuckled. Krystal smiled and shook her head softly.

"You are not that old, Peppy. I'm sure you could fly circles around us."

"You're very sweet to say that but believe me; my time in an Arwing is over." Peppy stated, twisting the map around to look at it better. Krystal looked at it too but in all honesty had no idea what she was looking for.

"Fox told me you were a Star Fox member before he was. He said your flying skills surpassed his own." She remarked, cobalt eyes roaming the map.

"Fox is too modest." Peppy smiled. "Back then I could barrel roll with the best of 'em. But Fox is something else entirely in an Arwing. Just like his dad."

Krystal looked up at the rabbit. She furrowed her brow in question before readjusting herself in her chair.

"You knew Fox's father?" She asked. Peppy stood up from his seat and grabbed another book off the shelf.

"Sure did. We were in the original Star Fox. James and I got into a lot of trouble back then." He snickered, sitting back down.

"You must have been close."

"Like brothers. James was always there for me. I could count on him for almost anything. Except telling me when to stop when we've had too many drinks at the pub."

Peppy's face seemed to reflect that his mind had gone back in time. While he smiled at the event, he also held a somber gaze upon the book in his hands. Krystal toyed with the edge of the map before Peppy looked back to her asking, "Has Fox told you about his father?"

"Very little. But I have deduced that Fox's father is no longer alive. Is this correct?"

Peppy nodded.

"You miss him greatly." She said, meeting his vision with sympathetic eyes. Peppy sighed before leaning back in his chair. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about what happened."

"May…May I ask what happened?"

Peppy took off his glasses and wiped away some dust. He set them back onto the bridge of his muzzle before folding his hands across his stomach.

"I think that's something best left for Fox to tell you. I'm surprised he hasn't already but he must have a reason and I wouldn't feel right treading into something like that. I've learned to respect his privacy when it comes to his folks." The elder hare told her.

Krystal nodded and offered him another one of her kind smiles. "I understand. You love Fox very much don't you?"

Peppy felt his eyebrows rise up. He hadn't been expecting that. But he returned her smile and stared down at his boots.

"I've watched him grow up since the day his father died. To see him become the man he is just…I have a daughter but no son and Fox has always been…"

Peppy trailed off, feeling slightly embarrassed. The vixen to his right smiled even wider at his display which caused both of them to start snickering. "Well, I'm sure it's not hard to see." He admitted.

"No, but I think Fox feels the same. He admires you very much." Krystal said. Peppy just smiled and nodded his head, feeling his chest warm at the thought. Krystal looked back to his maps and her eyes darted from various texts to diagrams.

"Do you have a mission, Peppy? Is this why you are looking at these maps?" She inquired. Peppy cleared his throat and leaned forward to look at it with her. "No missions just yet. I was actually looking to see if we…um…had any information on Cerinia." He confessed somewhat sheepishly.

"Cerinia?" Krystal repeated in surprise.

"Yes." Peppy replied. "Things have been quiet here and I've got time on my hands since I'm not flying anymore and…well…I just thought that I would see if I could find any information. I want to know why Andross had an interest in it, if it was really him that destroyed it. I…I suppose it's none of my business but I also didn't want you to think you were alone in trying to find the answers."

It was the truth. Peppy had his doubts about her, yes, but he could not be so cruel to deny this kind and gentle hearted woman the aid that she needed. To gain closure and be free of such a painful burden. Krystal stared at him and he suddenly suspected that maybe he offended her by poking his nose into something he should not have. But he felt her hand squeeze his wrist tightly and she appeared to be trying to hold back tears.

"You are doing this for me?" She asked meekly.

"Oh, um…Yes…At least I'm trying to but these books are out of date and I'm not even sure if Cerinia was part of the Lylat System. I'm afraid I don't have any answers as of right now."

Krystal smiled at him, perhaps the biggest he's seen from her. When she wasn't around Fox that is. She blinked away any potential tears and leaned forward, kissing the rabbit on the cheek.

"Thank you, Peppy. You are so very kind." She whispered.

Peppy blushed but failed in holding back a grin. Their moment was interrupted as a loud beeping noise came from Krystal's wrist communicator. She gave him an apologetic smile and pressed a button.

"Yes?" She spoke into it.

"You're supposed to identify yourself first, Krystal!" Came a familiar high pitched voice.

"Oh, sorry, Slippy. Krystal here."

"That's okay. You'll get used to it soon! Fox wants to see you. He wants to run some more simulations."

"Okay, Slippy. Thank you. Krystal out." She replied. Krystal offered the old rabbit another smile before standing up. Peppy stood up as well and Krystal was impressed by his politeness. Perhaps it had rubbed off on Fox as the two shared so many similar qualities.

"I'm afraid I must cut our session short, Peppy."

"That's quite alright." Peppy nodded. "The more training, the better."

"I hope we may continue this at more convenient time." Krystal said.

"I have no doubt we will." Peppy affirmed with a smirk.

The vixen turned to leave but paused in the doorway. Peppy watched her stand there and his brow wrinkled in question. Krystal's shoulders rose and dropped as she took a deep breath. She turned around and met Peppy's gaze with serious and troubled eyes.

"Peppy," She started softly. "You are a very kind man and I am touched by your sincerity and compassion. But I must ask you something and I can trust that you will be honest with me, yes?"

"Of course." Peppy responded.

"I am aware that my presence here has been in question and that perhaps I do not belong among you. Fox and Slippy seem to deny this but I must ask you; do I belong here?"

A heavy and tense silence bounced between the two. Peppy could see the anxiety in her eyes and with a loud sigh, he leaned against the table, crossing his arms. He broke eye contact to look at the floor but only for a moment as he looked back up at her with a tired and regrettable visage.

"No." He said firmly. Krystal remained unchanged in her expression but Peppy saw a look of hurt and disappointment flash within her sapphire eyes.

"You've been doing exceptionally well and with impressive speed. Most cadets in the Cornerian Military don't learn that fast. But simulations and training are very different from the real thing. You're going to see that soon and when you do…I don't know if you'll be able to handle it and that puts not only you but all of us in danger."

"I see." Krystal said quietly. "Thank you for your honesty."

She turned to leave but was halted by Peppy's voice.

"But," He said, a small smile returning to his lips. "You've proven to be full of surprises and seeing the kind of person you are…well…I get the feeling you wouldn't let us down."

The truth in those words surprised even him. He believed firmly in his previous statement but this woman in front of him was nothing short of amazing. Her skill was undeniable and she only seemed to improve more and more each time. Peppy felt as if she really was a member of Star Fox and he could feel a surge of trust when he looked at her like he did with the others.

And he couldn't deny what she has done for Fox.

He still didn't like it. Peppy felt it was just asking for tragedy and as cruel as it sounded, he hoped that it would fizzle out on its own. But there had been a change in the vulpine. The previous years rolled through his mind and what Fox McCloud was like in those times. Times that Peppy did not want to remember at this moment.

The rabbit suddenly realized who was he to say she didn't belong? What right did he have to assume that she would fail? She had survived the destruction of her planet and spent who knows how long by herself traveling from system to system. That couldn't have been easy or safe at many times. Krystal had made it this far so why couldn't she make it with them?

Krystal returned his smile, sensing that perhaps this old timer really did believe she could be a member to this team. That she was welcomed here.

"I don't plan to." She said with a shake of her head.

Krystal left and Peppy let his head fall back to look at the ceiling, grin still remaining. He believed her. With a cough to clear his throat, he returned to his seat and his maps. Peppy was beginning to see the potential in this girl but she still had a long way to go and his lingering doubts would not be erased so easily but he supposed it was a start.

He just hoped that Falco wouldn't make things harder for her.

* * *

Falco sat in the break room, slouched back into the corner of the couch. The television was replaying the news from Corneria though Falco had little interest in zoning issues or tax hikes. He stretched his neck with a loud pop and rubbed his eyes.

Christ, was he bored.

In past times he would usually play a video game with Slippy or engage in target practice with Fox. Slippy was still busy tinkering away down in the lower deck of the ship with that fuse pump, not that Falco particularly wanted to see him. Their discussion earlier in the day still irritated him and the fact that he had nothing to do only made it worse.

As far as Fox was concerned, there was no doubt as to where he was. Falco grimaced at the thought and stood up from the couch. He turned off the television and walked out into the hall. He needed a smoke.

The halls were empty thankfully as he was sure to get an earful from anyone seeing him lighting up on the ship. Falco pulled out a pack of smokes and a lighter from inside his flight jacket. Smoking was a habit he had picked up over the years during his freelance work. He had cut back quite a bit recently and reserved his tobacco for moments when he needed to unwind.

This was as good as a time as any he thought.

Plopping a stick into his beak, Falco lit the end and took a deep inhale. A cloud of grey siphoned out from his nostrils with a loud and relieving exhale.

"What are you doing?"

Falco rolled his eyes at the stern voice that addressed him. The falcon turned and took the cigarette from his mouth, tapping some ash onto the floor. "Just freshening up the lungs. Menthol is all the rage these days, Fox." He replied.

Fox watched the ashes fall and his frown deepened. "You know there's no smoking on the Great Fox."

"Oh, please. One cigarette isn't going to hurt anybody."

"One cigarette or not, it's the rule. Now put it out." Fox ordered. Falco narrowed his eyes at him and Fox held his stone set expression. Falco was tempted to tell him to shove it up his ass but something inside him held back. An idea suddenly came to his mind and he cracked a smile instead of a frown.

"Tell ya what. I'll put it out if you got the balls to go a few rounds with the target dummies. I heard you didn't get to use your blaster on Dinosaur Planet. I wanna see if you've gotten rusty."

Fox looked surprised by his request but his previous state returned and he shook his head.

"Can't. I need to see where Slippy is with that fuse pump."

"Alright, so after that. C'mon, Fox. It'll be fun. Or are you just worried I'll show you up like usual?" Falco teased in good nature. Fox snorted in response though he bore an amused smirk.

"That nicotine must be going to your head if you think you ever showed me up."

"Prove it then, hotshot." Falco replied, a similar grin displayed on his beak. Fox's smile suddenly faded and he shook his head again.

"Some other time. I need to go over some more command prompts with Krystal on the bridge after I'm done with Slippy."

Falco felt his own smile disappear and a soft scowl replaced it. He took another inhale despite Fox being in front of him still and leaned against the corridor wall.

"Alright. Whatever." He mumbled. Fox watched him in disapproval for a minute, knowing exactly what he was thinking but continued past him. Fox stopped a few feet away and craned his head back towards the bird.

"By the way," He said. "I don't want to hear that shit coming out of your mouth when Krystal's training. Things have been hard enough for her lately and she doesn't need you being a dick to boot. She's part of the team now so deal with it. And put out that cigarette. Now."

Falco sneered but threw down the smoke and rubbed it out with his boot. He held his hands up at his leader and said, "There. Happy?"

Fox ignored him and walked away, disappearing behind a sliding door. Falco offered the space he had once occupied the middle finger and pulled out another cigarette. He lit this one in anger and kicked the wall in frustration. As if on cue, the reason for Falco's aggravation entered through the doors on the opposite side of the corridor. He let out a disgusted sigh when he saw Krystal making her way towards him.

"Hello, Falco. How are you?" She greeted with a warm and friendly smile. Despite the ugliness that occurred after her simulation, she was determined to prove herself to him most of all and being aggressive with him would not help in any sense. Besides, even she couldn't argue the reason in his disapproval.

Falco answered by blowing out a cloud of smoke. Krystal felt it tickle her nose and when she inhaled it, she started to cough lightly. Falco stifled an amused chuckle at that. Krystal waved away the lingering smoke before clearing her throat to speak.

"Have you seen Fox? I tried to reach him on my commlink but there seems to be some of this interference Slippy had told me to expect sometimes. He wished to go over something with me on the bridge later. I was wondering if he was free now."

The brash pilot shook his head, taking another drag. Krystal was able to take the hint that he did not want to be bothered and merely nodded to him. "I see. I will check with Peppy then. Enjoy your evening."

Falco watched the sapphire vixen descend down the hall but she stopped and turned back to him. Krystal toyed with an idea in her mind and she was unsure of the right course of action. Things were already tense enough but perhaps this would show him that she took her training very seriously.

"Falco," She said, causing him to give her attention through bored half lidded eyes. "I was running though the Aquas simulation today and found that it was exceptionally tricky when maneuvering through the power station. I was wondering if you had any pointers. Peppy told me you had the best run on the course."

Falco stared at her with a monotone expression, cigarette dangling from his beak. With a sharp exhale through his nostrils, he tapped away a few more ashes before scratching his forehead tiredly.

"You want pointers? Sure. I've got one that'll get you through any mess you run into on that thing. You got a pen and paper?"

"Um…No I-"

"That's okay, it's easy to remember. You ready? _Quit_." He said as if she should have known that. "It's the best advice I can give."

Krystal let herself frown at him and her hands clenched into fists. She tried to keep her temper but the bird's attitude was proving that to be very difficult. She understood his rational as to why she would be a concern and did not wish to make things anymore strained between him and Fox but could he not see she was trying? Surely he was no better when he started.

"I will not quit simply because you tell me to." She told him with a trace of her anger. "I do not take being a member of this team lightly. You may try and persuade me all you want but quitting is not an option."

Falco's eyebrows rose and he nodded in what looked to be appreciation.

"You got some fight. That's good." He said and Krystal was tempted to smile as perhaps that was all he needed to see. "But spirit makes a lick of difference to me and to the enemy. Believe me when I tell you this; you don't know what you're getting into. Fox makes it seem like a story book where good always wins and no one dies but I'm here to tell you that's rarely the case."

"Cerinians are no strangers to violence."

"Yeah. I'm sure you're all real badass with your magic wands and dream catchers. What happens in the Lylat is different from whatever your hippie community considers war."

"Lylat System or not, war is _always_ the same." Krystal retorted. Fox had told her that. Falco laughed with a shake of his head as if he had expected her to say that.

"Fox told you that didn't he? Well, I guess he would know. He's not exactly the white knight you think he is where he gives the bad guy a moral lecture and lets him walk away. Fox has killed people. _A lot_ of people. That's what happens in war. Kill or be killed."

"I know what happens in war. I am not afraid." She stated firmly.

"You got guts, babe, I'll give you that. But when I look at you, I don't see that instinct the rest of us carry."

Krystal did not respond but Falco saw a look of uncertainty flash across her face if only for a second. His eyes narrowed at her before saying, "You've never taken a life before have you?"

She did not answer him again which only brought forth a slow laugh of disbelief from the avian. He shook his head and tried to stifle the chuckles, throwing down his cigarette. When he regained his composure, Falco straightened himself and faced her more directly.

"That's rich." He sighed with a dying laugh. "You've never killed anyone and you think that you can become a mercenary just like that? Shit…"

"Why does taking a life define one as a mercenary?" Krystal asked, her frustration and pride making her voice break. "Saving others does not always require another's death."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about." Falco snapped, pointing an aggressive finger at her. "You haven't the slightest clue as to what's waiting for you out there. I do. You're going to find yourself surrounded by death at one point. People you know and don't know littering the ground screaming and begging for help. They'll look up at you with pleading eyes and nine times out ten, you won't be able to do a damn thing because you'll be too busy trying to stay alive. Do you have _any_ idea what that's like?" He asked harshly, his temper getting the best of him.

Once the words left his mouth, Falco realized the folly of his words. The brave face Krystal had been wearing in front of him was no longer present. Her eyes were watery and she made no attempt to clear away the tear that slid down her cheek. Falco's expression softened slightly as he held her stare.

"Yes." She whispered. "I very much know what that is like."

The Cerinian mumbled something to excuse herself and hurriedly left back the way she came. Her hand covered her mouth as not to let him hear her emotions. She disappeared through the doors and Falco rested his eyes on where she gone. He felt something gnaw at his stomach and instantly recognized it as guilt. He hadn't meant to do that.

Being an asshole was one thing but being an insensitive asshole was another. He didn't want her here but never had any intention as to throw the destruction of her planet in her face. With a loud sigh Falco retreated back into the break room. The brief idea of apologizing came to mind but he shook it off immediately. Unintentional or not, that dick headed move might make her hate his guts enough to leave which reduced any feelings of remorse.

He was sure he was going to have to face Fox's wrath about this later but right now Falco couldn't have cared less. Let him scream and yell idle threats. All he'll be doing is setting himself up for an even bigger fall when she fails.

He just hoped he'd be alive to say 'I told you so'.

* * *

"So it looks good?" Fox asked his amphibious friend as the rode the elevator back up to the living quarters.

"Yup. We'll need that new one eventually but we're in no danger as of now." Slippy responded with a yawn.

Fox smiled and slapped him on the back. "Where would we be without you, Slip?"

"Aimlessly floating around Fichina and starving to death I'm sure." Slippy answered with a grin.

"Most likely." Fox chuckled.

The elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open, both pilots exiting. They made idle chit chat as they traversed down the hall eventually coming to the series of doors that represented each member's room. Slippy stretched his tired limbs and took off his hat lazily.

"Well, I'm bushed. I'm gonna hit the hay unless you need anything else, Fox?" He asked.

"Nah. I think we're set for now. Get your beauty sleep. You _really_ need it." Fox teased.

Slippy rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. "Har-har."

"Good night, Slip. See you in the morning."

"G'night, bud."

The toad disappeared behind his doors and Fox was left alone in the corridor. Stretching his neck, Fox made his way to his own room. He wanted to change before meeting Krystal at the bridge. On his journey, he passed Falco's and stopped. He stared at the door for a moment before shaking his head and continuing. He had no idea why he was being the way he was and right now Fox was too tired to ponder it. He was looking forward to seeing Krystal and being away from all the drama if only for a brief time.

As he reached his door, his ears swiveled as he picked up a faint sound. Fox frowned and looked around but found nothing within his sight making any noise. The vulpine turned his head towards the door just a few feet away from his own. With careful footsteps, he crept over to the door and pressed his ear against it. The sound was louder now and he recognized it at once as sobbing.

He also recognized that this was Krystal's room.

Fox stood back and raised his hand to knock. It hesitated for a moment as his brain struggled with the decision to bother her or not. She may want to be alone. But when he heard another muffled cry, his heart nearly broke and Fox rapped lightly on the metal door.

"Krystal? It's Fox. Are…you okay?"

"O-Oh, yes." Came a shaky reply. "I'm fine."

"…Can I come in?"

There was no answer and his concern increased. Footsteps eventually leaked out from behind the door as it sounded like she was doing something. The door suddenly slid open and Fox poked his head inside. Krystal had her back to him, wiping her face quickly as to hide what he already knew. Fox stepped into her room and punched the button to close the door. This seemed like a moment best spent in private.

"I'm sorry." Krystal apologized with a faint laugh. "My space is a mess. Please excuse my disorganization."

Fox looked around her room to find that it was the exact opposite of a mess. Everything was neat and tidy. The bed was made to perfection and there wasn't a speck on the floor. Her staff rested on her dresser and the shirt he had given her weeks ago sat folded neatly on her desk chair. The only thing that looked to be messy was the few pieces of tissue paper crumpled into wads on her desk.

He looked back to the vixen to find her facing him now. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy from crying for how long he had no idea. The smooth beautiful face he was so excited to see every day was ragged and tired looking, her fur roughed on her cheeks. Even her shoulders sagged as if there was some unseen and unimaginable weight upon them. Fox had no doubt that there was.

She put on a forced smile which made his brow knit in a look of sympathy.

"I was just…meditating and got lost in things." She told him. "You see, where I…come from, we meditate to connect with things around us and sometimes if we…lose concentration, we can lose control of emotions and…"

Fox listened to her prattle on with this made up excuse and could not help be baffled. She didn't have to hide it from him. She didn't have to hide anything from him. As she continued to weave her story, Fox walked up to her and gripped her hand. Krystal froze in her speech and locked sad and weathered eyes with him.

"You're a terrible liar." He said softly with smile.

She held eye contact for a moment longer before closing them tightly and choking out a sob. Fox wrapped his arms around her and Krystal pressed her face into his chest, muffled cries reverberating off him. It made him feel ill. Fox felt her legs go out from underneath her and together they sank down to the floor. He cradled her as she continued to weep, quietly and affectionately rubbing her back. Her fingers dug into his jacket so tightly that he could see a blemish of white appear on her knuckles underneath the cerulean fur.

"I'm sorry…" She mumbled into his chest.

"Don't be. You need to get this out."

"It's unfair for me to do this to you." Krystal sniffed. Fox shook his head. "This isn't about what's fair. It's about letting go of all that baggage."

He gripped her shoulders tightly and she stared up him through glassy eyes. Fox brushed away some stray hairs that clung to her wet face and offered another smile.

"You don't have to carry it alone anymore." He told her. The vixen could only stare at him then appeared to break down even harder.

Krystal could not shut out the memories that haunted her mind. Every grisly detail, every soul shattering cry was burned into her memory. The horror's she witnessed replayed behind her eyes whenever they closed like some bad dream that never ended. She choked out another sob and shook her head, the jeweled tiara that rested on her brow bouncing with the movement.

"I can still hear them…the children screaming and…the fires on the mountain…I can't get it out of my head."

"I don't doubt it." Fox sighed. "No one should have to live with those memories. Especially someone as kind and wonderful as you."

"No." Krystal croaked, a sense of shame clinging to her voice. "I have to live with it. I…I wanted to help them but I couldn't…I let them all die."

"Don't say that. You couldn't have saved an entire planet by yourself."

"You did…"

"Maybe so but…that's what I'm trained to do. Also, I had friends to help me. You were all by yourself. You can't blame yourself." Fox said gently. Krystal covered her face with her hand as to stifle her sobs but it only made her tears increase. Fox held her tighter.

"I know what it's like." He whispered.

Before Krystal could respond, he cut her off. "You feel you could've done something. That you could have prevented it. That you could have saved them." Fox tenderly removed her hand so that she could look at him again. Krystal looked away but he cupped her chin to bring her back to him.

"I felt that way for so long when my dad was killed. He was shot down by a member of his own team and I thought I could have stopped it. I carried the guilt even though there was nothing I could have done. I was just a kid. It took a long time but I realized that in the end, I had to stop blaming myself. Bad things happen, Krystal. You can't explain it, you can't predict it. Telling yourself it was your fault won't bring them back and it won't help you get over it. I had to tell myself that over and over after my dad and that girl on Macbeth."

Fox stood up, bringing the sapphire fox to her feet with him. He still held her with no intentions of letting go.

"It still hurts when I think about them. It's always going to hurt. But you can't live your life in the past. You need to stop looking back and see what you have ahead of you."

"What?" She breathed quietly. "What do I have?"

"Us." Fox told her, his face soft and caring. "We're your family now. No matter how hard things get, no matter the risk; we'll always be there with you. And…And you have me." He said, unable to resist a small blush.

Krystal could only stare at him, her broken heart starting to piece itself back together. She swallowed hard and tried to hold back her tears again but found that more had fallen upon hearing the mercenary's words. She wanted to speak with confidence but it came out tired and broken.

"Even after everything you've all done for me…to know that I'm not alone in this…it still feels…every day I…I miss them so much." She wept into his chest.

Fox held her even tighter to him, affectionately stroking her hair. Tears dampened his uniform and each sob felt like a dagger in his heart. Fox leaned his head down close to her and whispered in her ear.

"You're right. You're not alone. You'll never be alone again. I promise."

Krystal felt him take the side of her face in his hand and she met his gaze, tears sliding down her cheeks. His face was soft and affectionate, an understanding shimmer from behind those emerald eyes. The vulpine's thumb gently wiped away a tear that was replaced by another.

"It's okay to miss them." He spoke softly. "It's okay to be sad. And it's okay to tell me how much it hurts."

Krystal could only stare into his eyes and she saw Fox's own tragedies replay within them. She saw a kindred spirit in those eyes. That whatever pain she was feeling, Fox really had experienced this pain more than she truly knew. She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. When she opened them, Krystal saw that Fox was still there, patience and compassion etched across his features. The blue vixen released a breath heavy with burden and said,

"I think I'm ready to talk now."

* * *

_A/N: Just so people know, I'm not making Falco a dick for no reason. I love Falco but I got the feeling something's going on with him. Find out as the story continues!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Well, here's chapter four. I'm not sure about this one. It felt good writing it but something just seems off when I read through it. I am my own worst critic though._

* * *

"Excellent throw, Krystal. Even I didn't get it that fast."

Krystal smiled as Fox rose to his feet, the mat underneath him making a slight squeaking noise. He rotated his left arm and put on a playful grimace on his face.

"I might need to start asking you to take it easy on me."

She couldn't help but giggle at his silly compliment which in turn caused him to let out a snicker of his own. Fox pulled up the bottom of his black tank top to wipe away some sweat from his brow and Krystal got a glimpse of his bare stomach. She failed in holding back from biting her lower lip at the sight of the defined muscles that lined his abdomen and quickly decided to advert her eyes.

"Ready for another go?" He asked her. She simply nodded, cheeks burning and too embarrassed to speak. She saw Peppy watching them from the corner of his eye but she took her stance and tried to focus on any openings Fox would give her.

The two had been sparring for over an hour and Fox was thoroughly impressed with how good she was already. Apparently Cerinian children were put through a very intense martial arts regiment as well as staff training which would explain the intensity of her strikes. She threw a high kick at him earlier that rivaled a kick boxer and he blocked it with his arm, a severe stinging pain flowing all the way up to his shoulder. Her striking skills were superb but she was weak on takedowns for if an enemy every got too close. Fox was a proficient _judoka_ and those skills had saved his life more than once. A knowledge best shared with anyone who was to be in this business.

Fox ducked a strike and swayed back to avoid another one, side stepping around to get more space. He caught a glance at Peppy and internally frowned.

He knew the old hare meant well but he didn't like the fact that he had pretty much been watching them since the beginning. Fox felt as if he was just waiting for Krystal to make a mistake so he could say, 'I told you so'. He was almost as bad as Falco. Fortunately, Krystal was damn near perfect at everything she did and things were going smoothly. He couldn't wait until her Arwing was ready next week.

And while he knew Peppy wouldn't admit it, not to him at least, Krystal had grown on him.

Fox would often catch Peppy in the ship's library with various maps spread all over his desk. Each one a blueprint of different sectors of the Lylat System. Books that were years old as well as new ones were stacked in his book shelf, all to do with culture, society and history of planets. Peppy spent many hours trying to gain as much knowledge as he could on Cerinia, trying to find a connection between it and Andross. He also tried cooking Cerinian dishes for Krystal, though very difficult without the ingredients that were native to her planet. But Krystal ate it with a true smile, thankful to his efforts.

But despite Peppy's fondness for her, he could see that traces of doubt was still there and the fact that Fox was growing closer to her everyday wasn't helping.

The last month and half had just flown by. Fox had spent many late nights talking with the vixen, laughing and sharing stories from their lives. He learned so much about her. He learned more about the kind, gentle and selfless soul that she was and it pained him so much to see her weep uncontrollably that night she opened up to him. She released everything on him and Fox did his best to comfort her. He told her more about his father's death and was surprised to find tears of his own fall that night. These two different foxes from different systems shared a similar loss that united them. Never once did he let her out of his arms and she never wanted to leave. He spent the night with her, letting her cry herself to sleep into his chest.

That night was hard for her. She still carried a lot of pain and remorse that would not be vanquished overnight. But when he saw her face in the morning smiling back at him, he could see that burden, if only a small portion, had lifted. And that was a start.

It was also the start of a striking realization for the vulpine.

His life had taken such a turn after Andross's defeat on Venom. They were heroes, defenders of the Lylat System. At least for a little while. When the Lylat no longer needed them, they became forgotten memories of times past. The word 'mercenary' became something ugly and of ill repute due to Star Wolf's rising reputation as merciless thugs taking contracts for the highest bidder. Star Fox was now thrown in with them and considered to be low level guns for hire as they took any job they could to stay afloat.

Fox didn't think things could get any lower. Then Falco left. What that did to the team and more specifically to him was so damning, it hung over his head for years. To this day, he had yet to explain his actions and Fox held a deep resentment for him due to that. His current difficulty did not help matters in the least. But despite his anger, despite his unyielding urge to demand an answer, Fox was always pulled away from the falcon and the past by the vixen in front of him.

This strange fur colored woman that he had rescued on an insane and magical adventure had reached down deeply and grasped his heart. She made him feel like there was nothing he couldn't do. The glint in her eyes or the touch of her hand made his body tingle with electricity. She had breathed new life into him after eight years of fighting and small paychecks.

He was falling for her and he knew it.

Fox could see it in her as well. She always blushed whenever he got too close or offered her a friendly smile whether it be at breakfast or passing her down the hall. The way she always came to him if she felt unsure about something or just needed someone to talk to. While he never let on that he noticed, he often caught her staring at him when she thought he wasn't looking and he enjoyed the look of approval on her face. Much like a few minutes ago.

Fox ducked another high kick from her and couldn't help but let his eyes roam even though he knew he shouldn't.

During their brief visit to Corneria to get supplies, he took her shopping for some new clothes. Walking around in that tribal get up was becoming too distracting for him as well as anyone else who happen to be within ten feet of her. Although her new skin tight flight suit that matched her fur didn't help much either. Right now she was wearing some of her work out clothes that she often wore for sparring. Black athletic shorts that rode high up her thighs showed off her slender but powerful legs. A matching top covered one of her more…alluring parts of her body but left her toned and slim stomach exposed. Fox tried to concentrate but kept finding himself pulled into her voluptuous beauty.

A sudden pressure on his arm and quick twist was all it took for him to end looking up at the ceiling. Krystal stood over him with a jesting smile and offered her hand.

"Distracted are we?" She asked as he accepted her hand and pulled himself up.

He smiled at her and softly said, "Only if it's something worth being distracted for."

Krystal could feel her cheeks flare up again and she gently squeezed his hand. He smiled at her and squeezed back, that feeling of electricity returning.

_*Ahem*_

Fox and Krystal both snapped their heads over to Peppy who had a look of disapproval on his face from the other side of the Training Room. Fox quickly let go of her hand and took a step back. Krystal looked disappointed by his sudden retreat of her but said nothing.

"Alright, moving on." Fox mumbled. He could feel Peppy's stare burning holes in the back of his head as he went over to one of the benches. It was the prime reason he hadn't acted on these newly developed feelings for Krystal. It was excruciating but he figured it would be best to wait for Krystal to be fully settled into Star Fox and have the entire team comfortable with her.

Even if every primal instinct in his body told him to rip her clothes off and show just how much he cares for her.

Shaking off his feelings of lust, Fox picked up an item from the bench. He walked back over to her, item in hand. Fox had noticed that Falco now had made an unscheduled visit, leaning causally against the wall beside Peppy.

"_That's fucking great."_ He thought bitterly. This was a crucial point in Krystal's training and he didn't need Falco here making her uncomfortable. It didn't help that he knew this was something she was going to struggle with.

"Here." He said, handing her what was in his hand.

Krystal looked at the item and she immediately frowned. Fox was holding a standard Cornerian Military blaster, generally used by new recruits. She looked back up to Fox with a concerned look. He sighed heavily.

"You need to know how to use this." He told her softly, not wanting Peppy or Falco to overhear.

"I don't like guns." Krystal flat out said with a shake of her head. "You're a mercenary now, Krystal. This is going to be your best friend."

"I have my staff."

"And you're skill with it is unparalleled. But it's not a blaster. Those fire blasts barely put a dent in SharpClaw armor and that's tinfoil compared to what some goons in the Lylat System wear. Believe me; you need this."

The vixen wanted to protest but saw the pleading look in Fox's eye and with a heavy sigh, she took it from him, not liking how it felt in her hand. Fox walked over to the other side of the room and set up some dummies with targets on various parts of their anatomy. He walked back and pointed them out to her.

"Okay. I want you to shoot at any of the targets you see. The green ones are cripple shots and the red are kill shots. If anything, you're going to want to be good at hitting the reds."

Krystal looked at the blaster in her hand, studying her reflection in its polished surface. She made a disgusted face and looked to Fox again. He urged her on even though he felt sick to do it.

"We're waiting here." Falco's voice called from the back.

Fox shot an icy and vicious look at his friend. Falco merely shrugged it off and stuck his hands in his pockets, foot tapping impatiently. Peppy remained still but his focus was as keen as ever, keeping a close eye on Krystal. Fox turned is head back to her and she sighed again, raising her blaster.

"Now just relax. Take deep breaths and line up our target with the site at the end of the barrel. And squeeze, don't pull." Fox instructed.

Krystal held the blaster, her stance awkward and arm slightly shaking. She tried lining up her sights with the targets but everything felt…wrong. The feeling of the gun, its weight and balance and the image it produced of herself holding it. She could sense Fox watching her with intensity and nervousness. Krystal did not want to let him down. He had fought hard to defend her right to being a part of the team even when she didn't think she deserved it. She had to do this. For him.

But she couldn't.

Krystal let the gun fall along with her head. Fox closed his eyes in frustration and let out a ragged sigh. He looked over to Peppy and Falco, both with stone set expressions on their faces. They didn't need to show him what they were thinking. Fox could read their minds as clear as day.

He walked up to Krystal who was fondling the gun awkwardly in her hands. He stepped in close to her, crossing his arms across his chest and leaned in saying, "Krystal, you have to learn this."

"I can't do it." She responded, her sapphire eyes meeting his emerald ones.

"Yes, you can. All you need to do is focus."

"No, Fox. I can't. It…feels so wrong."

"You need to protect yourself." Fox told her sternly.

"This is not learning to protect, this is learning to kill." She retorted with a hint of aggravation in her voice.

"Krystal, please," He softly begged, gently pushing the gun back up to the former aiming position, "Just do it."

He let go of her arm which dropped again. Krystal put the gun down on the mat and shook her head. She lightly gave his arm an apologetic squeeze and started to walk away. Fox looked back to the others. Falco, wearing a smug look, was whispering something to Peppy who nodded his head in agreement but wore a look of disappointment. Fox clenched his fists and held back the anger that threatened to rise. Krystal needed to show them that she could do this.

Knowing he would regret this later, Fox spun around and quickly walked behind Krystal. He roughly grabbed her by the arm and tightly wrapped the other around her neck. She let out a startled cry and struggled against his tight grip. Peppy and Falco both took a step forward in surprise.

"Fox, what are you doing!? Let go!" She screamed.

"Now what? Huh? An enemy has just grabbed you from behind. Now what are you going to do?" Fox asked roughly. Krystal struggled again but Fox simply tightened his grip on her. Not liking this sudden change in the vulpine, Krystal wrenched his arm away from her neck by twisting his wrist and she spun away, pulling her arm free.

"Good. But I'm still coming." He said advancing on her. Krystal backed away, holding a hand out as if to keep him a bay.

"Stop it, Fox!"

"I'm not Fox!" He yelled, throwing a punch at her. She ducked it and side stepped, moving away from him again.

"I'm a space pirate and I'm trying to kill you!"

Krystal avoided another few strikes he tried to land and she threw a warning kick at his head which he blocked.

"You're wasting time and energy." Fox said, getting closer. "If you had your blaster, you would have ended this sixty seconds ago. But I'm still here and others will be too. Then what?"

"Fox, please, stop this." Krystal growled, ears flattening against her skull. Fox saw the change in her demeanor and put on more pressure. He unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks that backed her up against the wall.

"Come on, Krystal! Show me what you need to do!" Fox screamed at her.

"That's enough, Fox! You made your point!" Peppy shouted at him. But Fox ignored him. Krystal needed to show them. It was at that moment that Fox really understood the phrase of 'Be careful what you wish for'.

Krystal smacked his hands away, an intense burning look in her eyes as she threw an elbow into his chin. Fox staggered back and the vixen threw her arm around his neck while her right foot came down in a hard sweeping motion, cutting his leg out from underneath. Fox hit the mat hard, the air driven out of his lungs. He gasped for breath looking up at Krystal who suddenly raised her leg high in the air to the point where it was practically vertical. She hesitated as her usual gentle features started to return in her face.

"Do it." Fox rasped but she still paused, doubt starting to worm its way back inside her head. Fox couldn't allow that. She was so close.

"Goddamnit, do it!" He screamed at her. Krystal closed her eyes and brought her leg down with tremendous force. The back of her heel slammed down on Fox's muzzle where a sickening crunch was heard.

Fox felt a tidal wave of pain then the sound of footsteps running towards him and then, darkness.

* * *

_*Crack!*_

"Fuck!"

Fox cursed as he grabbed the end of his muzzle. Peppy shook his head at him as he wiped the blood from his hands with a rag.

"Well, it's set but it's going to be pretty tender for a while." He told him, a distinctive frown on his lips. Falco stood beside him and smiled at Fox's discomfort.

"Letting her break your nose? Some training skills you got there, Fox. Unless you're into the whole S and M thing." He taunted.

Fox glared at him, holding the bridge of his muzzle. "She did what she had to do, didn't she? She finished me."

"With a kick, not a blaster which was the point of the exercise. Face it, Fox, you got your nose broke for nothing."

"Maybe you'd like to train her then?" Fox hissed, wiping away some blood with his thumb. "You seem to have no problems pointing out her mistakes or demoralizing her. If you're so eager to see improvement then put your money where your mouth is."

"Pfft. Improvement is a fairy tale at this point. She still doesn't get it and she never will. But if you want to get your head kicked in for nothing, be my guest. Maybe it'll knock some sense into you." Falco sneered, causing Fox's fur to stand on end.

"She doesn't like guns but she'll be able to use one. We shouldn't have expected her to be perfect on her first day." The fox retorted.

"Oh, so now she's not perfect? I didn't realize you could see past your erection to notice she's capable of fucking up."

"Falco." Came a voice from beside them.

Both Fox and Falco turned to the owner of that stern address and saw Peppy, cleaning his glasses. He set them back onto the bridge of his muzzle and gave the avian a calm and collected stare. "You can go check the turret calibrations on the Landmaster." He said firmly.

"But that's Slippy's job."

"Well, he's busy and we both know you can do it so go make yourself useful for a change." Peppy ordered. Falco stared back at the hare, irritation flashing over his face. He looked back to Fox and merely shook his head.

"Whatever." He mumbled and left the Medical Bay, metal door opening and closing behind him. Peppy let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to Fox who was getting back to his feet.

"Sit back down, Fox." Peppy told him with authority.

"Peppy…"

"Don't Peppy me. I may not be your father but I'm as close as you'll get and I'm sure he would kill me if I didn't have this talk with you so sit your ass down, boy." Peppy lectured, pointing back to the exam table. Fox stood his ground for a moment but eventually succumbed to his elder's wishes. He hopped back up on the table and crossed his arms, waiting to hear what Peppy had to say.

"I'm old, Fox," He started off saying, "I'm old but I'm not blind or stupid. It's obvious as to what's been going on with you and Krystal. We all see it."

"Peppy, I-"

"Shut up. I'm not finished yet." He said, pointing a finger at the orange fox. "I see it and it worries the hell out of me. I'll admit, when you first brought her onboard, I was as skeptical and as doubtful as Falco. I didn't think this girl would last more than a week with us. Not to mention what your true motives were."

Fox looked away, staring at the wall with clenched fists.

"But…"

He looked back at the old space pilot who leaned back in his seat, a soft expression dawning his face. "Even I can't deny that Krystal has had an effect on me as well. I've come to grow very fond of her. She reminds me so much of Lucy." He said, a small smile creeping on his lips. Fox listened with a keen interest now, hands in his lap and leaning forward slightly. Peppy continued.

"She's a very sweet and kind woman, Fox. She has a generous spirit and a large heart. I won't deny that her skills are far passed adequate either." Fox smiled at that but Peppy returned to his stern and serious expression.

"But Falco, being the pain in the ass he can be, is right. There's a difference between taking someone down and taking them down for good. Krystal needs to understand that."

"She will. I have no doubt she will in time."

"But how much time, Fox? Krystal will be in the field soon and I don't need to tell you of the importance of a firearm. Fox…Krystal is too good of a person for this line of work. I know this and so do you."

"Well, then what, Peppy?" Fox snapped back, standing up from the table. "What do you want me to do? Kick her out and send her off with nowhere to go? Just tell her to piss off?"

"No, damnit!" Peppy shouted back, grabbing Fox by the shoulders. "I just want you to look out for her!"

Fox stopped and stared back into Peppy's concerned eyes, peering at him from behind his glasses. They were silent for a moment until Fox eventually spoke. "What?" He asked, not sure if he had heard right.

"I don't want Krystal to leave, Fox." He said softly, relaxing his grip on his shoulders. "She's a part of the team now. That means she's family. I would never ask you to kick her out. I know what that would do to you and I'd never forgive myself if I let that happen."

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said and I still believe it. But I can't look past what she's done to you, Fox." Peppy told him with a small smile.

"I watched you for eight years as we floated around the Lylat and I could see you wasting away. I could see the loneliness creep inside you and eventually you had become an empty shell of the man that I once knew. You were quiet, reserved and distant from me and Slippy. We lived from paycheck to paycheck with little work and Falco was gone. I knew how hard it was for you to adjust to life without him."

Fox turned away again from Peppy, his eyes closed, not wanting to remember those days. Peppy gave his shoulders a squeeze. "Then along came Krystal. Within a few days of her being onboard, I could hardly believe it. You were back to your old self again. You were laughing and joking around just like in the old days. It took me a while, Fox, but I finally see how important she is to you. I don't ever want the Fox I knew before this Dinosaur Planet fiasco to come back. So do an old man a favor would you?"

"And that is?"

"Don't ever lose that girl, Fox. Don't ever allow anyone to hurt her…and give her all the love that you have."

Fox could feel himself blush at Peppy's words, despite knowing the truth in them and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Well…I didn't say, er, that I…" He stuttered, causing Peppy to chuckle.

"Again, old. Not stupid."

Fox couldn't help but laugh and shook his head. "Am I really that transparent?" He asked.

"Like a damn ghost." Peppy answered with a chuckle of his own. He went to move past the vulpine to head back to his room but found himself in a gentle embrace, Fox's chin resting on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Peppy. You aren't my dad but you make a pretty good substitute and I'm sure he would agree." Fox whispered to him before offering another smile and heading out of the Medical Bay himself. Peppy stood there for a moment absorbing Fox's words. He reached out with a hand a pulled a nearby chair closer and sat down. He took off his glasses and wiped his eyes, not wanting to let happen what he knew was going to happen. He regained his composure and smiled to himself.

"You got a good boy there, James." He whispered to himself before clearing his throat and walking out the door himself.

* * *

Fox headed down the corridor, his nose throbbing in pain. It was bearable but it still hurt like hell. He rounded a corner into the living quarters and saw Slippy outside one of the doors, holding a tray of food.

"C'mon, Krystal, please open the door. I made you one of my famous peanut butter and trout sandwiches! It'll make you feel better!" He shouted from the hallway.

"Go away, Slippy." Came a muffled response from behind the door. Slippy sighed, shoulders and tray sagging in disappointment. He turned to leave but spotted Fox and let out another sigh, this one of relief.

"Oh good, Fox, you're up!" He exclaimed enthusiastically as he carefully jogged up to his friend. "I've been trying to get Krystal out of her room since…uh…well…"

"She kicked my ass?" Fox finished for him.

"Well, I was going to say since the incident but if you feel like emasculating yourself then go right ahead." Slippy snickered. Fox looked down at the tray of food then back to her door, his tail flickering from side to side. Slippy caught his response and shoved the tray into his hands.

"Maybe you should give it a try. She seems more comfortable with you anyways." He stated with a smile. The toad stuck his hands into his pockets and walked past him down the corridor, whistling a tune to himself. Fox watched him leave and rolled his eyes. He approached the door, tray in hand and gently knocked.

"I said go away, Slippy. Please."

"It's Fox."

There was a silence from behind the door and neither fox spoke to each other until Fox asked, "Can I come in? Slippy worked pretty hard on this delicacy and I'd hate for it to go to waste."

Again there was nothing but silence. Fox hated it. He wanted to see her face and hear her voice but all he could obtain was the cold metal door in front of him. He was about to call out again when his ears twitched at the sound of a loud beep indicating the door had been unlocked. Fox hesitated for a moment before he pressed the button on the side of the wall and the door opened for him. The Star Fox leader stepped into her room and was greeted by a sight which nearly caused him to drop the tray.

Krystal was sitting on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest, eyes forward not daring to meet his own. It wasn't her posture that startled him but rather her choice of attire or lack thereof. The vixen was wearing nothing more than his Cornerian Flight Academy shirt that was too big for her. The shirt covered her upper body well enough, though the collar drooped to one side, leaving her right shoulder exposed but it cut off a little low near her legs. Her radiant blue fur could be seen all the way from her feet up to her thighs. Her hair was damp, indicating she had just showered not too long ago as it messily clung to her face in some spots but it just made her all the more beautiful to him.

Ignoring the heat that rose up within him, he placed the tray down on a nearby dresser and cautiously approached her.

"Krystal…" He began but she interrupted him.

"I'm so sorry, Fox." She whispered, looking into his eyes, her own reflecting guilt and regret.

"For what? This?" Fox asked as he pointed to his swollen and bruised muzzle. He laughed softly as he sat own next to her.

"It's been broken plenty of times. Falco's broken it at least a dozen times when we sparred and I even let Slippy break it once to impress a girl he liked. The thing is practically rubber now."

Krystal failed in holding back a giggle and Fox could feel a large smile return at that heavenly sound. His face soon became serious however as he stared down at his feet. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Krystal. You did want I wanted you to. If anything I should apologize to you. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

"But I hurt you, Fox." She interjected. "I knew you were trying to show the others I could do what needed to be done and…I failed. I failed and you ended up getting hurt for nothing."

Fox could almost hear Falco's voice in her words and it irritated him to no end. Krystal also thought of the bird and the things he had said to her that night. She had not told Fox and had no intentions to as it seemed that Falco's words were nothing short of a premonition.

"You didn't fail, Krystal. You just weren't ready for that exercise yet. You'll get it soon enough and you showed me that when it comes down to it, you can finish things."

"Fox…" She breathed, closing her eyes. "I…I don't know if I can ever shoot someone…" Fox watched her cringe at the very thought of what she mentioned and his heart swelled with sympathy for her. He reached out with his arm, hesitating slightly, and wrapped it around her shoulder.

"It's not something I wish for anyone to do, Krystal. It's a horrible thing but I won't lie to you. At some point, you will have to pull that trigger. I just wanted you to understand that but I should have gone about it differently I guess. I…" He started but stopped himself. Krystal looked at him in question.

"What?" She asked softly. Fox took in a slow breath and looked her in the eyes, obtaining her full attention.

"I just want you to be safe, Krystal. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. If I wasn't there and…" Fox paused, the mental image in his head and it terrified him. Krystal could see it in his face and she edged closer to him.

"You've become very important to me." He told her, his fingers tightening around her shoulder. "I need to know you'll be safe and having a blaster and knowing how to use it would really put me at ease."

Krystal lowered her eyes for a moment then brought them back up to him, saying, "I…I understand, Fox. I will try to make it work. You have become very important to me as well."

Fox smiled at her and pulled her a little closer to him, the warmth of her breath tickling the fur on his neck. He looked down at the oversize shirt and chuckled.

"You don't have to keep wearing this. I'm sure there's something classier for you to wear."

"I like it. It's warm and makes me feel safe…like you." She whispered softly, her hand moving up to his inner thigh and softly squeezing. Fox felt that heat rise up inside him again and without thinking, his own hand found itself running slowly up her leg, inching closer to between her thighs.

"You know I'm always here if you get bored of that shirt. And I can do a whole lot more than keep you warm." He whispered back, leaning in closer to her.

"Can you?" She asked seductively, her hand getting dangerously closer to his groin.

"Try me." The vulpine challenged, his muzzle inches from her own and his hand just about to cross the border of the shirt, slight warmth tickling his fingertips.

"Fox!"

Both foxes stopped immediately what they were doing, hands quickly returning to their sides at the loud and high pitched call. Fox growled deeply in his throat and marched over to the door, ready to tear the throat out from whoever just interrupted them. Krystal pulled her knees up and practically yanked the shirt down over her legs, her entire face red with embarrassment. Fox opened the door and was greeted by none other than Slippy.

"What?" He spoke through clenched teeth. If this was some sort mechanical update that could wait, he would throw the toad out into the cold vacuum of space himself.

"We got a call from Pepper! He needs to speak with you right now!" Slippy squeaked.

Sighing heavily and rubbing his temple, Fox just nodded and said, "I'll be there in a sec."

Slippy just gave him a salute and left back down the corridor. Fox turned back to Krystal, face still a crimson mask of embarrassment. He toyed with his fingers for a moment before letting them drop back down to his sides.

"I need to take care of this. We'll talk later, okay?" He said with a half-smile.

The vixen looked over and gave him a shy smile nodding her head. She had yet to recover and it could be a while before she finds her voice as well as her natural color.

"Okay then." Fox sighed and headed out the door but not before casting one more glance at the gorgeous woman he had almost kissed and more. He walked down the corridor with a frown on his muzzle that matched the pain it was in, hoping that whatever Pepper wanted was well worth it.

* * *

_A/N: YIKES. If you thought that last part was a little racy, wait until we get further down the road. I apologize for the cliche moment where they get interrupted but I think it's the only time it happens in the story. Next chapter is a look at Krystal's first mission! Oh man, how's that gonna go?_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Chapter 5 for you! I hope you enjoy._

* * *

Krystal hated guns.

They were empty and soulless tools of murder and mayhem. There was no connection one could have with a gun. Her people cherished a spiritual connection with everything and that included weapons. When she used her staff, it was like it was a part of her. It was another limb that she could reach out and connect with the world around her. She could use it to build as well as to defend. She had never felt so barren when she had lost it when fighting General Scales Galleon.

But despite her moral objections to a firearm, she had gone through with her promise to Fox to train with one.

She found that her reservations were limited to that of a blaster however as she continued to excel in Arwing training. Krystal did not have the same feelings of discomfort and disgust when she was behind the controls of her ship with a lock on a bogey. The vixen didn't think much about pressing the trigger and watching a simulated enemy ship explode into pieces before moving on to the next one. She found it strange but perhaps that was because destroying a ship was vastly different than pointing a gun at a real being.

Her struggles with a blaster was a long and mentally tiring ordeal that left her exhausted but within a month, she had learned to put a laser right between the eyes of every dummy in the Training Room. It felt wrong in so many ways but in an upside, she got to spend more time with Fox, a man who she knew that she had fallen quite in love with.

They had not said much about their encounter after she broke his nose. There had not been much time to do so with all her training. Things went on as usual with a few exceptions of them both getting a little extra physical contact whether it be the simple touch of an arm or an 'accidental' chest to chest brush in the hallway. Krystal found it somewhat childish to resort to such manners but it was all she could do right now. A deep and passionate longing had awakened in her for the vulpine, every fibre of her being wanting his strong hands exploring her body and more. She could see the same yearning in his eyes when he looked at her. But despite the lust that plagued their bodies, Fox would often shy away from her.

She had long figured out why Fox had been holding back due to the tension between him and the team, particularly Falco. While it was frustrating and even unbearable at times, it was more than understandable. Krystal already felt guilty enough that her presence had caused so much disorder between friends. Painful as it was, keeping each other at arm's length was the best thing to do right now and to focus on her training.

While she had become quite skilled at using a blaster, much to her dismay, she was far from perfect and in all honesty, she had no desire to get better. But Krystal knew she would have to get better.

She knew that because she was currently diving into the dirt and sand of Titania to avoid having her head blown off.

Krystal rolled to her side and propped her back up against a large rock, beams of blue and red coloured death slicing the sky over her. She checked her blaster to make sure that the power cells were still in order and took a few deep breaths before shooting to her feet and letting loose with a barrage of fire. The vixen didn't even bother to aim or even look to see if she had hit her targets as she sprinted across the red soil and dove for cover behind another boulder. She coughed a few times as the dust stung her eyes and filtered into her lungs and she tried to catch her breath.

Through the tears she saw a blur of yellow and green leap out from nowhere and land beside her. She gave out a startled yell and pointed her blaster at the blur.

"Whoa! Easy, Krystal! It's me!" She heard a familiar voice shriek over the gunfire.

Once her vision had cleared, she saw that she was pointing her weapon at Slippy, his face along with his yellow jump suit smudged with dirt and his trademark hat stained and tattered. Krystal dropped her gun and let out a sigh of relief.

"Relax now! We almost got these bastards! Just a few more of 'em left!" Slippy told her, giving her a smile despite the mayhem that surrounded them.

The toad was referring to the group of space pirates that had been raiding outposts on Titania and who were currently trying to kill the mercenary team. Pepper had asked them to clear them out as the military had 'much more pressing matters at hand' as he put it. From what he told Fox, it was supposed to be an in and out job as the group was relatively small. Fox found it an odd job request but he wasn't going to turn down the money, despite his earlier claims of nobility. Even after the hefty fee they earned from Sauria, the Great Fox's repair costs were still an issue and every penny helped.

Fox found it difficult to hide his shame when he told her. He assured her it was to help the people there first and foremost, his voice carrying worry that perhaps she might think less of him. She didn't. Krystal understood the concept of economics and if they were to help people, they needed their ship despite the discomfort she felt knowing that they would be paid to possibly hurt others.

He also saw it as an opportunity to prepare her for her first field mission. The time it took to reach Titania from their current location would take at least three weeks. More than enough time for her to practice.

But as they arrived, they had discovered that the small group was five times what Pepper had told them. Fox barely had time to curse the hound dog's name before they dove for cover as the fire fight started. They had all become separated within a few minutes and Krystal was relieved to finally see one of her friends.

"You're doing great for your first ground mission!" Slippy complimented her. She would have thanked him but she was too busy keeping her head down.

"Fox has been looking for you! He's pulling his fur out but I know you can take care of- hold on a sec!"

Slippy paused in his sentence and pulled out a grenade from his belt. He pressed the activation button and tossed it over his head. "You may want to cover your ears!" He suggested to her, his plump hands on the side of his head.

Krystal slapped her hands over her pointy ears just as a loud explosion echoed from behind the boulder followed by a few screams. Slippy then stood up and opened fire with a spray of machine gun fire, the shells piling up around his feet and her. He ducked down and gave her another friendly smile.

"I think we got them on the run now! Stay here! You'll be okay but keep your finger on that trigger! I'll tell Fox where you are!"

With that, the team mechanic bounded off, avoiding the few lingering strands of blaster fire.

Krystal sat up straight and brushed her bangs out of her face with a shaky hand. Never in her life, even when she was fighting General Scales, had she felt so…scared. She had always considered herself brave and a fight was not something she was to walk away from.

But this was different.

These men were not like the enemies she had faced before. Scales and Andross had their reasons for war, whether it was domination over a planet or for the simple reason of revenge. There was a purpose to their blood lust. But the enemy she faced today had no purpose. They killed for the sake of killing. If you had a better weapon or a shinier pair of boots, they put a hole in your head. Krystal could not understand such senseless coldness and dark hearts.

She did not have time to consider it however as the dust rose up from the impact of heavy boots driving into them.

Krystal looked up and saw a man garbed in metal armor and rags, a scarf covering his mouth and goggles over his eyes aiming a blaster at her. Instinct kicked in and she rolled to the side as a laser blackened the boulder she was just leaning against. Swinging her feet out, she cut him out from his own and he hit the sand with loud thud. Krystal scurried back to her feet and aimed her blaster at the downed pirate. Before she could even think about firing, the blaster was knocked out of her hands and a fist was driven across her muzzle.

She fell to the ground, head spinning and jaw throbbing. Rough hands seized her arms and she was yanked up to her feet. The cerulean fox only had a moment to make out the figure through her blurriness before she was slapped hard across the face. Into the red soil she fell again, the second space pirate yelling something to the sound of approaching footsteps. She was yanked to her feet again but this time she threw her elbow up as she rose, catching the pirate in the nose. The coyote staggered back and Krystal performed a roundhouse kick to the side of his head.

The canine staggered again but managed to keep his feet. With a snarl, he lunged at her, both hands going for her throat. Krystal side stepped him and latched onto his right arm. She spun to the side and kicked the back of his knee causing the pirate to fall to a kneel. Without some much as losing a step, the vixen spun again, throwing her legs around his neck. They twisted into the dirt and with a snug armbar latched on, Krystal popped her hips hard and a loud snapping sound accompanied by a scream filled the air.

The coyote rolled away clutching at his arm and Krystal tried to catch her breath. It was short lived, however, as she was struck in the back of the head, her vision going fuzzy again. A new pain exploded in her abdomen as a boot was planted firmly into it. She writhed on the ground coughing and gasping for air.

Krystal was suddenly consumed with fear. Death was something she was taught not to fear. On Cerinia, death meant the release of your spirit from its earthly bounds and you were free to become one with the planet. There was honor in that. Your essence became a part of everything and everyone.

But this wasn't Cerinia.

These men were going to kill her. They would kill her and do who knows what else to her. Her spirit would cease to exist and there would be no memory of her home, her parents and her friends.

No memory of Fox.

Her vision returned and she watched as another pirate, a jackal, joined the one who struck her, a hawk and raised a blaster. She prepared herself to embrace death but it never came. Instead, the pirate who was holding the blaster, recoiled back with a spray of blood spewing from the side of his head as a laser sliced through it.

He dropped the blaster, falling to the ground in a heap. The other pirate dove to the side as another blast just narrowly missed him. As he rolled to his feet, the hawk pulled something from his belt and flung it to his assailant and her rescuer. There was a bright flash and a grunt of surprise before the hawk dove forward. Krystal managed to sit up and could now see Fox, who was covering his eyes being tackled to the ground, blaster flying out of his hand. They wrestled on the ground until Fox kicked him off, trying to shake the blindness from his eyes.

Krystal could see the hawk scrambling for the blaster that was dropped from his dead ally. She lunged for it herself. They both grabbed it and wrestled for the weapon up to their feet. The hawk planted his boot into her stomach and pushed hard causing her to fall back against the boulder she used for cover. The pirate got in close and aimed at her. Just as he pulled the trigger, Fox appeared suddenly with lightning speed and pulled Krystal behind him, the blast from the weapon catching him dead in the chest.

The whole world seemed to freeze. Fox stumbled backwards in slow motion, slumping against the boulder with dazed eyes. Krystal felt her whole body go numb and she tried to scream his name but no sound came out.

Miraculously, the vulpine merely shook off the blast, smoke rising from the blackened stain of his flight vest. He slapped the blaster away from the surprised bird and head butted him, bone colliding with beak. The space pirate staggered back, eyes slightly rolled back in a daze from the collision. Fox sneered with a growl full of malice and bad intent. The hawk threw a clumsy punch and Fox caught it underneath his left arm. With his other arm, the vulpine repeatedly drove fist after fist into the bird's face. Fox yanked the hawk's head down hard and brought his knee up to drive it into the pirate's already swollen and bloody face. Another fierce snapping sound filled the air.

Fox pushed him away, the pirate almost unconscious on his feet. With ears pinned back, Fox yanked out a karambit* from his belt and with a swift sweep with his arm, cut the hawk's throat, bright red spraying to the side as he fell, staining the earth.

Panting heavily and clutching at his chest, he dropped the knife and turned back to Krystal who could only watch in awe as he approached her.

"Krystal," He panted, holding out an outstretched hand, "Are you-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as knife suddenly sliced the side of his arm and he stepped back, grasping it in pain.

The masked pirate that Krystal had previously taken down the first time was up, blood stained knife in hand. He took another swing at Fox who ducked and delivered a knee into his stomach. The masked killer groaned in pain but drove his shoulder into the mercenary, both falling into the sand once more. They both twisted and grabbed at fur and clothing, trying to get an advantage over the other. Krystal watched them, her mind trying to come up with a way to aid him and quickly she spotted the fallen blaster once more. She snatched it up and aimed at the two.

The pirate was on top of Fox now, knife ready to come down but the fox's hand kept it at bay while the other tore at his face. Krystal could feel her finger squeezing the trigger without even thinking about it but she stopped when Fox was able to tear away the goggles and scarf from the pirate.

Krystal froze when she saw his face.

The pirate, a snow leopard, grit his teeth in pure hate and struggled to put his knife to Fox's throat. But it was neither his demeanor nor the fact he was trying to kill the man she had recently fallen in love with that made her freeze. The leopard was nothing more than a mere boy, no older than eighteen he looked. Krystal studied his face, her fingers refusing to move.

"Take the shot, Krystal!" Fox gagged as the feline's free hand pressed down on his throat.

Krystal aimed again but she hesitated, her mind screaming at her to shoot but her body refused to listen. How could she shoot a boy?

"Krystal!" Fox choked out, the knife inches from his neck. He stared into the leopard's eyes, blazing golden orbs with dark slits that reflected hate and madness. His limbs burned with fatigue from his earlier battles and his strength was almost sapped. He could see the glint of the sun reflecting off the blade as the very tip reached his throat.

A loud whistle of energy cutting through the air rang in his ears as a laser beam punctured the snow leopard's throat. His eyes went wide, slits turning into orbs as he gurgled something and fell to the side. Fox pushed him off and looked up.

He saw Krystal standing there, horror plastered all over her visage. She was still aiming the blaster in the same spot she had since picking it up, her hands trembling. Fox squinted at her and looked past her shoulder to see Falco standing on top of a sand dune just a few feet away, smoke rising from the barrel of his blaster.

The falcon let his weapon drop, a mask of furious and intense ire covering his face. He trudged down the dune, bumping forcefully past Krystal who dropped her blaster, eyes still locked on the pirate's body. Falco threw out a hand to help Fox up who, once on his feet, immediately went to the blue vixen. Falco watched him walk away from without so much as a thank you and let out a dry laugh of disgust.

"Krystal, are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked her worriedly.

She didn't respond as she slowly approached the fallen thug. Standing beside the body, she looked down at the leopard. The young pirate was struggling on taking his last breaths. Small spurts of blood rose from his mouth as he gagged, his eyelids twitching. He suddenly looked up at her, gurgling something incoherent. Krystal could not tear her eyes away from his as she watched the life drain from his body.

It was just as Falco described it.

Fox grabbed her by the arm and tore her away, burying her head into his shoulder. "Don't look." He whispered, clutching to her tightly with one bloody arm while the other held his sides in pain. She gripped onto him so tight that he could feel his fur being torn out but he didn't say a word.

They were joined by Slippy who dusted off his hat, machine gun hanging off his shoulder limply by its strap. He fitted it back on his head and looked from Falco to the two foxes. He noticed Falco's sour expression and Fox holding a trembling Krystal, a few corpses around them.

"Is everyone okay?" He called out. Fox looked up and tiredly nodded his head. Falco merely grunted and stormed off, muttering something under his breath. Slippy let him go and walked over to his other team mates. He saw Fox's arm and his eyes widened with concern.

"That's a bad slice, Fox. We need to get closed up right away." He told him, watching the blood drip off his arm and soaking into the planet's soil. Krystal brought her head back up and realization suddenly hit her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

"Oh, Fox! I thought he killed you! But how…"

Fox groaned in pain as he opened his flight vest to reveal some sort of thick material that covered his chest and was singed from the blaster fire. Slippy nodded as he pointed to the chest plate.

"Syntanium alloy from Macbeth makes the best blaster armor. I'm surprised you wore it. You never like wearing those things. Said it slows you down."

"I guess I just had a funny feeling today." Fox said, looking down at Krystal then back to Slippy. The toad simply nodded.

"Feels like my damn ribs are broken…" Fox moaned as he grimaced in discomfort.

"Let's get back to the Great Fox and get you fixed up." Slippy told him, holding his hand out to help Fox walk. He waved it off and turned his head to see Krystal still staring at the pirate's body. With a soft tug, he pulled her back to the direction of the Arwings.

* * *

"Shit! Watch it, Slippy!"

Slippy frowned as he delicately put the needle and thread through Fox's skin once more, further closing the wound.

"Well, it would be a hell of a lot easier if you had some fat on you!" Slippy shot back. "There's no padding here! That's why I don't work out. I've been stitched up plenty of times and I don't whine anywhere near as much as you."

"Yeah. _That's_ the reason." Falco snorted, cleaning the grime off his face off with a towel. Slippy ignored him and continued to sew up Fox's arm. He put in the last stitch and carefully applied a bandage.

"There you go! Good as new!" He smiled.

"Thanks, Slip. How about we take a look at these?" The vulpine asked, pointing to his ribs. Slippy held up his pudgy green hands and shook his head.

"Sorry, Fox. I think I'm at the end of my medical expertise with stitching. ROB should be able to help you out with that one." He said, jerking a thumb towards the droid that was standing nearby.

"Initiating radiographic scan." ROB announced as a green light shot forth from his optics and began to scan Fox from head to toe. Slippy instinctively covered his groin which caused Falco to roll his eyes. The scan disappeared and ROB turned to the others.

"Scan reveals no fractures but cracks in both left and right third, fourth and fifth true ribs." He announced.

"Not surprising if he shot you at that close of a range. That was a very brave thing you did, Fox." Peppy told him, giving Fox a gentle pat on the shoulder. This caused another snort from the avian and the shake of his head.

"What's your problem?" Fox asked, his brow wrinkling in irritation.

"My problem? Are you fucking serious?" Falco asked back, dropping the towel in a garbage can.

"Yes I am. You've been nothing but a shithead lately and it's getting on my nerves." Fox hissed, standing up from the table so Peppy could wrap his ribs. Falco threw up his hands in disbelief and let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Okay. I save your ass from getting gutted because Krystal couldn't pull the trigger without so much as a thank you and _I'm_ the shithead? How could I not have noticed?" Falco spat sarcastically.

"I appreciate the save; you know I do but that hardly makes up for how you've been treating Krystal."

"Kiss my ass, Fox!" Falco yelled, pointing a finger defiantly at his friend. "There are other people on this team other than Krystal! Or just because we don't have a nice set of tits and a pussy that means we're not worth your time?"

Peppy and Slippy were quick in their actions and it was fortunate that they were. Fox barely had any time to try and lunge for the bird before the two pilots held him back. "I told you not to talk about her like that! _Fuck_!" Fox cursed as he fell against the wall, clutching at his ribs.

"Knock this shit off, both of you! I've had it up to here with this!" Peppy hollered like a father furious with his bickering children.

Fox shrugged off Slippy who was trying to help him back to his feet and leered menacingly at Falco who returned it. He stormed past Peppy and forcefully shoved Falco out of the way, mumbling, "I'm going to check on Krystal."

Falco sneered and attempted to grab at the mercenary leader but an aggressive and sharp address from Peppy stopped him.

"Falco! Stay right where you are! What the hell has gotten in to you!?"

"Me!? Christ, Peppy, he was going to attack me!"

"Can't say you don't deserve an ass kicking." Slippy said, washing his hands at the sink. Falco snapped his neck towards the toad and step forward menacingly.

"What the hell did you just say?" He seethed.

"He said what we're all thinking." Peppy answered, stepping forwards himself. Falco gave him a confused look and held his hands up in question.

"What? Peppy, I thought you were on my side about this!?"

"I was, Falco, but things change and Krystal has done nothing but prove she can do this job since she started. She's one of us."

"That is bullshit and you know it! What just happened today!? She almost got Fox killed because I was right and _he_ knows it! He wouldn't have worn that armor if he thought she could do this! But apparently everyone here has gone fucking mental and I'm the only one who sees it!"

"You don't know that." Peppy argued. "You got there to help, yes, but I know Krystal wouldn't have let that pirate kill Fox."

"Wake up!" Falco screamed, slamming his fist down on the examination table causing it to shake. "She almost got one of us killed and all you can do is give piss poor excuses and pats on the back for her! You won't even discuss it! It's insane! She is NOT one of us! She will NEVER be one of us! Either she goes or _I _go!"

With that, Falco stomped out of the Medical Bay, kicking the wall as he left. Peppy let his head fall back and sighed hard. Slippy scratched a spot under his chin and leaned against the exam table on one elbow.

"Yeesh, what a drama queen." He said but soon frowned as Falco's words replayed in his head and asked, "Do you think he's serious?"

"I don't know but something isn't right. Falco's always been a headache but never like this."

"He's been like that ever since we saved Dinosaur Planet." Slippy exclaimed with a shake of his head. "I still can't understand his problem with Krystal. Her training results have almost been perfect, granted she ran into a snag today but come on; we all hesitated the first time we had to shoot someone. It's not like it's easy to just pull a trigger and end someone's life."

"I'm starting to think that this goes beyond that, Slippy."

"How do you figure?"

"Call it a hunch." Peppy simply shrugged.

"So what should we do?" Slippy asked.

"...Give him time to cool off. Maybe he won't be so nuts in the morning." Peppy grumbled. Despite his own words of optimism, the hare couldn't help but think that the falcon's threat was not so empty. He had left before and it took its toll on all of them, Fox especially. Things needed to be smoothed out now. They couldn't risk the team splitting up again. Peppy shook his head tiredly and helped Slippy clean up.

* * *

Krystal sat on her bed, staring blankly into her hands.

The events of earlier today on Titania replied over and over in her head. The look of hatred and insanity in the young leopard's face. The shock and horror when he realized that he had been shot. The blood that frothed forth from his mouth as he died in agony.

The look he gave her as she stared down at him, the realization of death and the sudden fear that gripped his nerves.

She shuddered and let out a ragged breath, tears threatening to spill forth from her eyes. Krystal thought she knew what being a mercenary entailed but she had no idea that she would be presented with the decision to kill someone who was merely a boy. She tried to justify it with the fact that he had tried to kill not only her but Fox as well.

Another sinking feeling hit her stomach only this time it was one of guilt. The pirate was inches away from slicing Fox's throat open and all she could do was stand there. He could have died and it would have been all her fault. A pain deep inside her emerged throughout her body at that thought; one so similar to when she lost her parents, her people and her planet. She realized just how badly she had failed all of them, especially Fox. The last few months of hard work all for nothing. Falco was right. She couldn't do this.

Krystal's self-loathing was interrupted by a gentle knock on her door.

"Krys? It's me. Can I come in?"

The sound of his voice always pulled at her heart strings and soothed her nerves and she couldn't help but answer back despite the shame of facing him right now.

"It's open." She softly called, her voice tired and reserved.

The door slid open and Fox stepped in. Krystal forced herself to look at him and saw him enter, his upper body exposed. While the sight of that would normally excite her more than anything, she felt nothing but an increase in guilt as his arm and ribs were covered in bandages. A grim reminder of her failure.

"How you doing?" He asked her softly as if he was treading over broken eggshells in bare feet. She said nothing and looked down to her feet, unable to hold his gaze. Fox approached her and grunted as he held his ribs, stumbling slightly. Krystal forgot her shame in a moment of worry for him and stood up to help support him and they both sat down on her bed. Fox smiled at her as best he could and said,

"Rough day, huh?"

"Look at you…" She whispered, more to herself than him. "I did this to you."

"No, you didn't."

"I was my fault."

"Krystal…"

"Please, Fox, stop. You can't defend me anymore. I…failed everyone today. I failed you." She said, voice breaking with emotion. Fox shook his head.

"No, Krystal. I shouldn't have let my guard down. This was your first mission, things weren't expected to go perfectly."

"Is that why you wore that armor?" She asked. "Slippy said you never wear it. You...You knew I was going to fail."

Fox made a stern face a shook his head. "That's not true. I wore it because I knew things could get out of hand and if there was a chance I could protect you from harm I'd take every precaution necessary. You didn't fail."

"Fox, I could have let you die." She choked out, meeting his emerald eyes. "He was going to kill you and I couldn't shoot him. I hate using a gun and I…I don't belong here."

Fox felt his heart wrench at that statement. He shifted in his seat so he could face her more directly and gently grasped her by the shoulders.

"You do belong here, Krystal. You are a part of Star Fox. That makes you family remember? We all care about you, even Falco when he's being a prick. Shooting someone…you don't forget it. I know. None of us enjoy it, Krystal, but we do what we have to."

"For money!" She cried at him somewhat hostile. "We killed a boy for money! We…Oh, God, that boy." She sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"He was just a child…a poor child…" She wept. Krystal suddenly felt herself being roughly pulled to her feet as Fox stood with her, his hands now tightly gripping her and his expression angry and fierce.

"That _child_ was a monster!" He shouted, causing her to recoil in fear. "Was he young? Yes. Was it a tragedy? Without a doubt. But that boy had killed more than his fair share of innocent people and worse. Do you know what he would have done if I hadn't gotten to you in time? He would have raped you a thousand times over then slit your throat. He would have left your body in a ditch, never to be found and then move on to the next settlement and do it all over again. So don't you cry for that boy. Don't you fucking _dare_."

Krystal could only stare back into his eyes; a burning fire a lit in them like nothing she had ever seen before.

"We're mercenaries, Krystal. We do what others won't. It's a fucking dirty job and I've done things that will haunt me for a long time but I did them knowing it was going to keep people safe from people like him. And if that makes this system a better place to live in then so be it. Me and the others may have forgotten it some time ago but that means more than any amount of money. You may think less of me for this but…" Fox paused for a second, his grip on the vixen's arms tightening even more and his face slightly softening.

"If it meant keeping you from getting hurt…I would kill a thousand times over." He whispered, his hand moving up and holding it against her cheek. Krystal found herself lost in his gaze and she moved her hand up to clutch his own, not to pull it away but to press it further into her cheek.

"Why?" She could only ask, her voice barely audible. How could he put such an evil on himself and for her? Fox let his face soften entirely but kept that intense look locked between them.

"Because that's what it means to love someone. That's what it means for me to love you."

The world seemed to stop for the two foxes. It was the first time that it had been said out loud between them. Krystal could feel herself slightly trembling as Fox slowly moved his one hand to the small of her back while the other slid past her cheek and began to cradle the back of her head. His words cut through her like a hot knife, its blade piercing the very center of her heart and soul causing her nerves to dangle on the edge of exploding. Her own hands cupped the sides of his face and she pulled him into her. Their muzzles softly connecting into their first kiss.

Fox's fingers dug themselves into her hair and he worked his lips against hers a little harder. He couldn't get enough of her taste, sweet and strong like nothing he had ever had before. Krystal moved her hands down to his neck where she clenched the fur tightly and moaned in his mouth. Fox's ears twitched at the sound of her pleasure and that all too familiar heat rose up within him, intensifying his actions. The cerulean vixen moaned louder as Fox's tongue pushed its way past her teeth and wrapped around her own. She pushed herself forward into him, Fox growling in his throat as he felt the firmness of her chest pressed against his. With a sudden passion filled heave, Fox lifted her off the ground and attacked her neck with his lips. Krystal let her head fall back and gasped as the vulpine suckled on her sweet flesh. She wrapped her legs around him and clutched the back of his head with one hand while the other ran down his back, light fingers gliding over hard muscle and soft orange fur. When he found a sensitive spot on her neck, she almost screamed his name and squeezed her legs tightly around him, an intense burning between them.

It was then that Krystal found herself falling to the floor on her backside, a small shout of surprise escaping her mouth. She looked up and saw Fox doubled over with his arms wrapped around his sides, face contorted in a mask of pain. Krystal soon forgot about her fiery desire and it was replaced with concern. She rushed up to her feet and helped Fox back onto the bed.

"Sorry, Krys." He hissed, eyes wired shut. "I didn't mean to drop you."

"That's alright." She whispered to him, a smile on her lips.

Fox opened his eyes and smiled back with a trace amount of pain. They stared at each other for a moment, an awkward silence hanging in the air. After months of tension and restraint, the way things exploded was inevitable but it was no surprise to them both that something would cause them to hold back yet again. Fox sighed and sat up a little straighter, running a hand through his head fur.

"I…uh…didn't think I would have cracked ribs when I told you that." He sheepishly told her.

"Neither did I. I was beginning to think with everything going on it was never going to be said." She replied. Fox reached up and gingerly brushed his thumb past her lips.

"I've wanted to say it for a while." He whispered, eyes shining in the reflection of the room's light. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

"Me too."

Fox smiled but it faded as he let out a tired sigh. "Look, Krystal, I know that this job can get to you. You're such a wonderful sweet person that it kills me to know that you're hurting from this. But what I said still stands. Yes, we kill. We kill so that others may live. The faces of someone you shoot will stick with you but the faces of those you see living a free and happy life will stick with you longer."

Krystal had another flash of the leopard's face in her brain but she closed her eyes and nodded. She knew that this would stay with her for a long time to come but she also knew to trust in the man who had yet to steer her wrong. His words had comforted her and she felt calmer despite the grim reality. Fox nodded himself in reply and ran his free hand up her arm.

"I didn't mean to kill the mood but I think it was too late for that."

Krystal laughed quietly and leaned forward, kissing him much softer this time. She pushed on his chest, forcing him to lie down. Breaking the kiss, she stood up and walked over to the other side of the room, Fox watching her braided tail swishing from side to side. She hit the switch on the wall, the lights shutting off, encasing the room with darkness. A small ray of light siphoned its way into the room through her observation window caused by the glow of one of Titania's moons. Fox watched as Krystal stepped into the light, her cerulean fur illuminated.

She reached up with her hand and grasped the zipper on the front of her flight suit. Slowly, she began to unzip, exposing more and more blue fur. When it reached her waist, she slowly shrugged off the shoulders, Fox drinking up the image of her black lace bra with his eyes. She gripped the sides and ever so slowly pushed down, wiggling her hips in a teasing matter, a matching pair of panties now free for him to see. Fox ground his teeth together and Krystal smiled at that.

A memory from their visit to Corneria replayed in her head from when Fox took her shopping for some new clothing. At the time, Krystal was unfamiliar with the concept of undergarments and Fox nearly blushed to death when he handed her the current pair to try on. Unbeknownst to the vixen, she was supposed to wear these _under_ her clothes. Fox and just about every other man in the department store nearly passed out when she stepped out of the change room thinking that this was casual wear. She could see the desire in his eyes then and she could see it now.

Krystal stepped out of her suit that was now bunched on the floor and she stepped towards the bed, her runic tattoos almost reflecting in the lunar light. She crawled on all fours over to him and carefully ran her hand along his chest.

"That's pretty damn cruel to tease me like that." Fox growled, grasping her sides and reveling in the feel of her soft and silky coat.

"I'm not teasing you." Krystal whispered playfully with a smile, draping a leg over him, careful not to hit his ribs. "I'm just giving you a glimpse at what you have to look forward to when you are better. Until then, you can keep me warm tonight."

She kissed him again and nestled herself at his side, his arm wrapping around her and pulling her close to his warm body.

"Well…I'll be sure to get better as fast as possible."

* * *

Falco was livid.

He had a temper as most knew and it wasn't hard to set him off. He had been angry with friends before but nothing like this. So it was to no surprise that he stormed his way into the Training Room and began to manhandle the practice dummies.

Falco was practically seeing red as he drove fist after fist into the dummy, his teeth clenched like an unbreakable vise. Every strike was powered with anger and resentment, the emotions becoming the power behind his attacks. He reached up with both hands and grasped the dummy's head in a clinch and delivered a series of hard knees into the rubber abdomen.

"Mother!...Fucking!...Asshole!" He cried with each blow.

Falco pushed the dummy away and spun with a kick, the heel of his boot catching the side of the dummy's head. The mock attacker fell to the ground and the avian proceeded to stomp its sneering face into oblivion. Nowhere near satisfied, Falco yanked the thing up off the ground and over his head. With a roar of frustration, he heaved it across the room and it bounced and slid into a weight bench.

Falco panted, hunched over and suddenly felt a coughing fit overcome him. Hacking and stumbling, he fell on his tail feathers, the mat below him cushioning his fall. An unfortunate side effect from his bad habit.

Once his fit had subsided, Falco fell onto his back and pounded his fist onto the mat.

The day's event kept replaying in his head like a broken record. Seeing Krystal aiming at the pirate on top of Fox. The desperation in his pleas to her. The way her blaster shook in her hands. How his sights lined up perfectly with the snow leopard's neck. A spray of red.

Then it was over.

Falco growled to himself as he remembered walking over to Fox and helping him to his feet. The whole time, his eyes were on her. He just couldn't wait to get to her.

What about him? What about Slippy?

Falco and Slippy had managed to stick together when they were ambushed. Both toad and falcon wasted no time in putting holes in anyone in their way. Say what you want about Slippy but the guy knew his way around a machine gun which was odd considering someone with such knowledge of high tech equipment opted to use something so primitive. Regardless of weapons, he and Falco cut down at least half a dozen men before a frag grenade caused them to scatter and eventually separate.

They fought for hours, putting their lives on the line and did either of them get any sort of gratitude from Fox? No. It was all about Krystal.

He could feel his anger boiling over again and he stood up, ripping his flight jacket off and throwing it across the room beside the dummy.

What enraged him even more was not only Slippy's obliviousness to Fox's selfishness and continuing to play the nice guy to Krystal but Peppy's sudden change of heart. The old man was his only ally in the situation and now he was against him too. Falco grabbed his head as if he was in pain.

How could they not see it? Were they so blind that they were willing to sacrifice one another over misplaced faith? They couldn't even see the lack of leadership Fox was providing as all his attention was on Krystal. When was the last time he did anything around here? Was he exempted from duties simply because he had found himself a new play toy? They should be just a furious as the the falcon.

"Fuck..." He uttered to no one as he knew there would be no answers to greet him.

Falco walked back over to his jacket and bent down to pick it up when he noticed something on the weight bench. Picking the item up, he discovered it to be one of the practice blasters. He fiddled with it in his hand and another memory resurfaced. This time of watching Krystal taking shots at the dummy's. She was so clumsy with it. The vixen could barely shoot straight and Falco was sure she would blow her own foot off.

Which is why Falco couldn't believe how well she had improved in less than a month.

The girl improved so fast and with such resistance to the idea of holding a gun. Her face expressed her disdain for using it but her results reflected the exact opposite. She no longer fumbled with it and every shot was on target. The speed and precision of her aiming was on par nine times out of ten. Falco knew that because he watched her every time they practiced from the observation window.

He didn't want to admit it. He refused to admit it. Doing so would only encourage McCloud to continue being the fuck that he was. But how she excelled with a blaster and coupled with her high scores from the simulator, Falco _had_ to admit it even if it was just to himself.

The girl was good.

Perhaps that was why he felt a stab of disappointment when she froze up today. For a brief moment, Falco thought she was going to do it. She had him. All she had to do was pull the trigger. It was as if he wanted her to prove him wrong.

But she didn't. So Falco had to come to the rescue as usual. A rescue that was unappreciated and quickly forgotten as he became less than an after thought to their captain. Falco felt his ire return and he tossed the blaster over his shoulder. With an extra spiteful kick to the fallen dummy, he left the Training Room, a call for a cigarette pulling at his nerves.

Falco was unsure as to how much more of this he could take. His rage was hanging by a thread and if one more thing happened...

Falco shrugged his shoulders and tightened his hands into fists before cracking his neck, a strained breath leaving his body. The avian pulled a cigarette from his jacket and plopped it into his beak. He lit it and inhaled deeply before the smoke rushed forth from his nostrils. He no longer had any patience left for this. He no longer had any patience left for Fox.

He would no longer be responsible for his actions.

* * *

_A/N: Oh boy. I think I'm starting to see where Falco is coming from. He's still being a dick but Fox is kinda being a dick too when you look at it._

_I've always imagined that fighting in a dogfight is a lot different from shooting someone who has a face that you can see and remember. You can't see who you're shooting down when they're hidden behind a canopy. Krystal seems to have discovered that in a most unfortunate way it seems._

_* - A _karambit _is a curved combat knife. I saw it in a movie once and it looked terrifying._

_Next chapter is the one we've been waiting for. Fox and Falco's tension finally comes to a head and we waste NO time getting into it. I hope you guys will like it. We'll see you then.  
_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Oh, man. Here we go._

_First off, I'd like to thank everyone that has reviewed and supported this story so far. I'm constantly on edge whenever I post a chapter as I'm unsure if it's any good but that's how I get with pretty much any story lol. I can only hope you continue to enjoy it and that I can do a good job._

_Also, for some of those wondering why I've portrayed Falco the way I have, or don't like the portrayal, I assure you again that it is not for shits and giggles. There is a reason for it. And you're gonna find out RIGHT NOW._

* * *

Peppy was worried.

He sat in his command chair on the bridge and nervously fiddled with his glasses. Setting them back in place on his face, he swiveled around to face the main observation window. The rabbit's old eyes scanned the abyss in front of him but found nothing but stars and blackness. Peppy stood up with a grunt and leaned over his control terminal to address ROB who was zipping back and forth on the bridge's lower level.

"Status update, ROB. Any contact with the others?"

"Negative." The robot answered. "All communication attempts remain unanswered."

"Keep trying."

"Roger."

Peppy found himself beginning to pace. His anxiety seemed to worsen with each step and his heart rate slowly began to rise. He took a few deep breaths and shook his head.

"Just relax," He told himself calmly. "There's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why they haven't returned. You're worrying about nothing. Don't give yourself a heart attack like Falco always jokes about."

But despite his attempt to calm himself with what felt like logical reason, he couldn't help but feel that wasn't the case. Peppy slammed his hand down on one of the other control panels and leaned on it heavily.

Fox, Slippy, Falco and Krystal had left this morning for a routine sector patrol. Fox had made these exercises mandatory as a way to avoid getting rusty with an Arwing when jobs were scarce. Commonly, it was a few hours of flying around and avoiding asteroids. Now that Krystal had her Arwing, he wanted to have her fly un-simulated as much as possible. Fox took the others along so she could get use to team formations though Falco looked less than enthused to attend. In fact, he looked down right disgusted.

Falco.

Peppy shook his head at the thought of the bird or rather, the situation involving him. He recalled the vulgar mouthed pilot expressing his disdain and contempt for not only Krystal but for Fox as well. Peppy still firmly believed that Falco's issues went beyond the vixen but to what extent he did not know. But it was clear that his issues with Fox went even deeper.

The hare sighed hard and sat down once more in his seat. What had happened to those two? When Falco returned on that fateful day, he thought that the two long-time friends would have been overjoyed to see each other, Fox especially. They would be rough housing and laughing about old times but instead they seemed to almost despise one another. The incident on Titania had made things especially sour as they had not even spoken to each other for the last two weeks. He just didn't understand it. And what was worse was that neither one was willing to be civil enough with the other to bury this ill-gotten feud.

But perhaps even he had a hand in that as well.

Peppy had given his fair share of lectures to Falco lately but in truth, he was beginning to see he had been too easy on Fox. He supposed he wanted to let the boy savor his romance with the pretty young vixen that had turned him around but that may have been a mistake as all it seemed to do was add more fuel to the fire. Peppy leaned his forehead into his hand and breathed hard out through his nose.

He shouldn't have let Fox walk away that day in the Medical Bay. That wasn't something their captain should have done and Peppy knew it. The issue was right there in front of him but Fox chose to ignore it. Peppy should have dragged him back by his tail and barricaded the two inside that room until they sorted things out. But he didn't and it has done nothing but intensify this unbearable tension that's been floating around the ship since they left Dinosaur Planet.

"Peppy."

The senior officer snapped his head up to look at ROB who was now standing beside him. "What is it? Did you find them?" He asked hurriedly.

"I have received communications from Slippy. Do you want me to open up a channel?"

"Yes, goddamnit, yes!"

ROB spun and typed a few keys on the control panel before Slippy's sweat soaked face appeared on the screen of Peppy's monitor.

"Slippy! What the hell is going on!? I've been trying to reach you all for the last hour and a half! Is everyone alright!?"

"We ran into an ambush!" Slippy croaked. "Some leftovers from that group we took out on Titania! Luckily it was only a few fighters! We took them out and everyone's okay but you need to get to the hangar now, Peppy!"

"What? Why?"

"We, uh, had an…incident and Falco's losing his freaking mind! I've never seen him so pissed off in my life!"

"Incident? What kind of-"

Peppy stopped in mid-sentence as he suddenly stood up, eyes locked on the window ahead of him. In the distance he could see an Arwing approaching and what appeared to be a trail of smoke following behind it. "ROB, whose ship is that?" He asked, turning to the android. ROB punched in a few more keys before a series of data showed up on his monitor.

"Falco's" He replied. "Ship has sustained seventy-nine percent damage."

"Shit." Peppy mumbled and leaped from his chair.

"Peppy, wait!" Cried Slippy from the monitor. "I need to tell you-"

Peppy didn't hear him as he was already out the door. Old as he was, Peppy could still move when he needed to and this seemed as good as a time as any. This was it, he thought. This was the moment he had been dreading.

He just prayed there was still some light at the end of this dark tunnel.

* * *

"_Jesus fucking Christ_!"

Falco screamed as he popped the canopy up from his smouldering Arwing. The usual polished finished was streaked with laser burns and his left G-Diffuser cackled as exposed wires gave off bursts of distorted electricity. The ship part hung limply to the side like a damaged appendage hanging on by a thread as if it could fall off at any moment. Falco slid down the side and landed on the Great Fox's docking bay floor, spinning around to look upon the damage to his ship which only intensified his ire.

As he fumed, another Arwing made its way in and docked in the Great Fox's hanger, followed by another. The first one opened up and Krystal practically fell out of the cockpit, trying to make her way to the floor.

"Falco! Falco, oh God, are you alright!?" She panicked as she ran towards him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" He shouted at her, the volume of his voice causing her to come to a halt. Only she skidded on the hanger's floor and fell to her backside. This however did not stop Falco's verbal onslaught.

"Are you deaf or just stupid!?" He yelled, coming forward at her.

The second Arwing's canopy rose up and Slippy tumbled out like log, landing on his face but he was up in flash, running towards the two.

"Falco! Don't! It's not her fault!" He cried in protest. Falco whipped around to face the toad, his eyes hard as ice and a sneer to match.

"Don't you _dare_ try and defend her now! Not when I was almost killed because of her stupidity!"

"But-"

"Get the fuck out of my face, Slippy! NOW!" Falco raged, pushing him to the ground. He turned back to Krystal who was back on her feet. She saw the anger in his face and started to step away from the avian.

"What the hell have you been doing since you've been here!? What was all that high score bullshit on the simulator!? Have you learned anything or have you just been on your knees every night with Fox!?"

Falco barely finished his sentence before Krystal's right hand slapped him hard across his face. She quickly recoiled and covered her mouth with her hands when she realized what she had done. Falco spat to the side and glared at her even harder than before.

"What's a matter?" He asked, "The truth hurts? Is that it? Then explain to me if you're not just here to screw Fox then why the hell did you leave me to get my ass fried out there!? Where's all that training!? _Answer me_!"

"Falco!"

The irate falcon snapped his head over to an approaching vulpine, his own face matching that of Falco's. With all the screaming and yelling, he hadn't even noticed Fox pull into the hanger.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!?" He shouted at him.

"You get the fuck away from me, Fox! Most of this is your fault and I'll get to you in a minute but right now I'm dealing with her!"

"The hell you are! You deal with me! Not Krystal!" Fox hollered, pointing a finger.

"No! No more of this shit!" Falco yelled back with a wave of his arm. Slippy, who had recovered from Falco's shove, tried to get both pilot's attention by waving his stubby arms around in the air.

"Guys! It's not her fault! I didn't-"

"This is how it is, isn't it!?" Falco continued, neither of them paying any heed to what the mechanic was trying to tell them. "I almost get killed because she doesn't know what she's doing and it's not her fault!? When is it going to be her fault!? When I'm fucking dead!? Face it, Fox! You were wrong! She's a waste of time! She's useless to us!"

"Shut your fucking beak, Falco!" Fox raged, his fist trembling with anger.

"Make me all knowing leader! You don't even deserve that title! Me, Slippy and Peppy have done everything for you! We were there for you when you went up against Andross and everything in between! But all that means nothing now because of her! We've become nothing more than a couple of errands boys to you!"

"That's not true!" Fox argued.

"Admit if, Fox! We're nothing next to your _bitch_!"

Those were the last words to leave Falco's mouth as Fox drove his fist across it. Fox barely had time to realize what he had done before Falco tackled him to the floor. Both pilots struggled to get the upper hand on the other, taking shots wherever they could find an opening.

"C'mon guys! Knock it off!" Slippy yelled at them but did nothing to cease the fighting. The side entrance to the hanger slid open and Peppy finally stormed in.

"What the hell is going on!? Stop it you two!" He ordered.

Fox kicked off Falco who scrambled to his feet and made to attack him again but Peppy stepped in front of him. "I'm serious, Falco! Knock it off!" Peppy threatened him with an intense glare.

"Fuck you, McCloud!" The falcon spat, pointing a defiant finger at his commander, who slowly rose to his feet, clutching at his still healing ribs and wiping away some blood from his bottom lip.

"Goddamnit, Falco, back the hell off! Now!" Peppy shouted, even as to go so far as giving him a shove. The bird stared at him somewhat in surprise but returned his sneering glare back to Fox who returned it with vigor.

"What the hell is wrong with you two!?" Peppy screamed at both of them. "You're supposed to be best friends for God's sake! Well enough is enough! This shit has been going on for too long and it needs to end _now_!"

The vulpine made to say something but suddenly stopped and looked around to find that the very root of the two friend's blow up had disappeared. "Where's Krystal?" Fox asked, more to himself than anyone else. Falco threw his hands up in the air and snorted.

"She ran out of here during your guy's little tussle." Slippy pointed out.

Fox's attention left what was happening right in front of him and he turned to leave and head to the direction Slippy had pointed to. He made it half a step before a loud, angry and commanding voice halted his actions.

"Fox! Don't you _dare_ leave in the middle of this!"

"I'll deal with this later, Peppy!" He replied hotly and began to leave again.

That was all the proof Peppy needed to hear to know that he had been too soft on the vulpine. This was beyond unacceptable and it had to be rectified. With a fuming look in his eyes, the old hare marched up to the young captain and spun him around with one hand while the other came hard across his face as an ear piercing slap that echoed throughout the hangar.

There was a heavy silence that filled the air, Slippy's eyes wide in shock as to what he had just seen. Even Falco had trouble suppressing his own surprise, brow raising and beak opened slightly. Fox held his head to the side, still in recoil from the strike as Peppy leaned in close to him.

"You listen to me and you listen well," Peppy growled in a low voice. "There is a more important issue here at hand than a girl. The fact that I have to tell you that makes me question your decisions all over again. Does a friendship mean so little to you? Have you even attempted to talk with him?"

Fox did not reply, his gaze locked onto the ground, refusing to look at him or even answer. Peppy shook his head in disgust and threw up his hands in surrender, feeling like his words were being wasted. He turned to leave but stopped and turned back to the vulpine, saying,

"I can't tell you what to do, Fox, but what I can tell you is that if you walk out that door, I will lose every ounce of respect I hold for you. A leader doesn't ignore a problem in hopes it'll go away. He takes command and deals with it head on. Shame that you've seem to forgotten that." With that, he spun on his heel and began to march out of the hangar.

"Slippy, let's go." He practically ordered the toad. Not wanting to argue with the irate senior pilot, Slippy simply nodded and followed. Both Star Fox members exited the hanger, the door hissing open and then shutting silently.

Another silence reigned supreme in the massive room. Neither Falco nor Fox looked at each other. Falco was staring at his damaged Arwing again while Fox rubbed the spot on his cheek that Peppy had assaulted. Both were too stubborn to speak first so for a few minutes the silence continued, eye contact being avoided. After a tense and unbearable five minutes, Fox gave in with a sigh.

"I didn't think Peppy would still have so much power in that hand after all these years."

Falco let himself crack a barely visible smile as he said, "I didn't think the old man had it in him. I thought you were going to spit out a tooth."

Again they stood where they were, neither wanting to speak. Fox rubbed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. Peppy was right. He needed to fix this and fix it now. The vulpine wasn't exactly sure how to go about it though. Falco had made him so angry that he wanted nothing more than to argue with him again. It was then that he remembered the avian's words that were spoken to him with such venom and disdain.

"It's not true, you know." He said finally, looking at his fellow pilot.

Falco broke his gaze away from his Arwing and met Fox's. "What isn't?"

"That you're all nothing but errand boys to me. Nothing could be further from the truth."

"Could have fooled me…"

"Then what was I to _you_ then?" Fox snapped.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Falco snapped back.

"You were my best friend. You always had my back just like I had yours and you up and left us without so much as a goodbye. Do you have _any_ idea what that was like? To have someone you consider a brother to just walk out on you? When you needed him? We were a family. You were _my_ family. I…"

Fox felt the words dry up in his mouth and had to look away. Falco's features softened immensely and watched the canine in front of him stare at his feet. For Falco, emotions other than anger were never easy to express. Maybe it was because of his attitude or his reputation but he was never one for being 'soft' as he put it. But looking at his long-time friend and hearing the pain in his voice was enough for the bird to try and bring something to the surface.

"I had to leave." Falco whispered.

"Why? What possible reason could you've had to just up and leave?"

"I…I just had to, alright?"

"Oh, _come on_!" Fox shouted with rage, his head snapping up. "Stop giving me that tough guy bullshit and just be fucking honest with me! Since the day you showed up, I've been waiting to hear why! Why you left us! But instead all I get from you is this shitty attitude and cynical persona! I want the truth, Falco! For eight years I've wanted the truth! Don't I at least deserve that!?"

"I had to leave because of _you_!" Falco screamed back, matching the vulpine's anger. "Is that what you wanted to hear!?"

"Me!? What did I ever do to you!?"

"You were better than me, okay!?"

Fox narrowed his eyes at him in confusion upon hearing his words. "What are you…Are you telling me you left because of some stupid fucking _contest_ between us!?" He yelled in disbelief.

Fox couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was no secret that the two mercenaries held a strong rivalry when it came to flying. They competed in most things but nothing as heated as their skills in an Arwing. For years they had tried to show the other up to prove who was best and in most cases, it was Falco. But their competitions had always been full of respect and good sportsmanship. At least, that's what Fox had thought.

"It wasn't a contest to me." Falco growled more to himself than to Fox. He was quiet again before shaking his head and running a hand through his head feathers. "I knew you were better than me. It took a while but you eventually edged me out as top pilot. I don't know if you had just gotten better or if I had gotten soft but I had a lot of pride and…I had to prove to myself that I could still be better. I couldn't stand knowing I had become a second rate pilot."

Fox could only stare at him, confusion etched across his face. Falco closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I spent all those years away trying to surpass you in every way. I was younger back then. Stupider is the word Peppy would use I'm sure. You were always stronger than me, faster and could shoot better but flying was always the one thing I had over you. I needed that back. I thought that was what I wanted; what was important. That if I could be better than Fox McCloud, I'd be happy. But as time went on, I found out how wrong I was."

He opened his eyes and looked at Fox with an emotion the vulpine had never seen on his friend's face before. A mixture of fear and pain that erased any traces of anger he had left stewing in his body.

"I realized I should have never left. I should have never left in that way. But I knew you guys would have tried to stop me. I let my ego get in the way of what was really important. Slippy, Peppy and you. Even if I could fly circles around you I wasn't happy being apart from what I considered to be home. I never had a family to begin with and you guys..."

He struggled with his words and cleared his throat before speaking again.

"When I came back and met this chick you had saved, I thought little of it. I was happy that maybe you'd get a little action."

Fox frowned at that but let him continue.

"I figured things would go back to the way they were. Just like old times. But then you kept spending time with her. And all of a sudden she's on the team. Now you're with her almost every second of the day and I'm…It's been eight years and you've barely spoken to me outside of our duties. I knew I owed you an explanation but how could I when you were never around?"

Fox let Falco's words sink into his brain and when they did; he felt a massive wave or realization hit him along with so much guilt that his ears sagged. His stomach tightened so hard it felt like someone had sucker punched him there. So that's what this was all about. It made so much sense to him now and he covered his face with his hands. His anger and resentment left his body with a heavy sigh escaping his nose leaving him with but one thought.

How could he be so stupid?

The solution to this extravagant soap opera bullshit was right in front of him to whole time. If he had just talked to Falco, put aside his personal agenda with Krystal and faced the issue head on, this could have been avoided. Peppy was right. He had failed not only as a leader but as a friend.

"Fuck…I'm so sorry, Falco." Fox mumbled. "This is all my fault. I…I'm a complete shithead."

"You said it, not me."

"Falco, I never meant…You know I…You're so important to…"

"Alright, alright, don't have a goddamn heart attack." Falco smirked. It faded however and he scoffed his boot against the floor. "Maybe…maybe I was being a bit of a shithead myself. I just…I wasn't sure where I stood with you anymore and…it bothered me. I honestly thought that you were training her to be _my_ replacement, not Peppy's."

Fox stared at him in shock before stepping closer to the bird and tightly gripped his friend's shoulder.

"Falco…what we've been through in and out of an Arwing...I'm never going to forget those things. All my accomplishments exist because of this team. I'm never going to forget what you or the others have done for me. And I could _never_ replace my best friend no matter how many girls I save from death." Fox stated. Falco chuckled at that before he lifted his arm and hesitating slightly only to have it fall on the vulpine's shoulder.

"That and if I wasn't around then the Star Fox team would be lacking some major machismo." He said.

Fox smirked at that and the two space pilots remained that way for a moment letting everything that was said and felt sink in. It wasn't your typical heartfelt moment where tears and hugs were exchanged. Fox and Falco's relationship was simpler than that. They didn't need to say much more about their issues to know things were going to be better. A few words and a friendly slap on the back was all they ever needed to resolve their differences. Perhaps with so much time spent being separated, they had both forgotten that at some point.

Falco let his arm drop and sighed looking upon his Arwing again. He rubbed the back of his feathered head with a look of shame etched across his face.

"Shit…I was a real son of a bitch to her wasn't I?" He questioned knowing the answer already.

"I would have preferred not to have heard some of the things you said."

"I took out my problems with you on her. She didn't deserve that."

"So what do you really think about her?" Fox asked.

"I'm still not happy about what happened on Titania but…the chick's got skills. Maybe if I hadn't been such a prick and made her doubt herself this wouldn't have happened. She's tough though. Maybe in time she really will get the hang of this gig. Plus she was able to kick your ass. How could I say no to that?"

Fox stared at him for a moment then a smile slowly crept its way across his muzzle. Falco looked back to him with the same grin. A small snicker left both their mouths before turning into laughter. It died down and Falco stared down at his boots with a sigh.

"I said some awful things to her." He muttered.

"She'd probably like an apology."

Falco didn't respond, his feathers bristling instead. Apologizing was something he was not well versed in. But it was something he knew he was going to have to do. He looked at his Arwing once more and shook his head.

"I don't get it." He mused. "Why didn't she fire on the bogey that had me from behind?"

Fox rubbed his chin in thought. Was it hesitation again like on Titania? He quickly frowned. No, this wasn't the same. Krystal followed them through every turn and roll, firing a few lasers that grazed the enemy ship before she could get into position for the kill shot. She was _trying_ to hit her target. It was then that Fox's memory kicked into gear and he addressed his companion.

"Slippy was trying to tell us something wasn't he?"

"He was saying something but I was too busy…uh…you know." Falco admitted sheepishly.

"Come on. Let's find him and get this sorted out." Fox said, motioning to the exit.

"You don't want to see Krystal first?" Falco asked, his eyebrows rising in question.

Truth be told, he did. He wanted nothing more to go and comfort her knowing the guilt she was sure to be divulging in regardless of if it was her fault or not. But Peppy's words, along with his hand, had left its mark in his head.

"I do," He replied. "But I…_we_ need to address this first."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Like you said; she's tough. She'll be okay." Fox said, casting a worrisome look towards the other direction.

Falco nodded and they made their way out of the hangar. The two reconciled friends traversed through the Great Fox until they arrived at the break room. Peppy was there patting Slippy on the back who sat at the lunch table with his face in his hands. Peppy looked up as they came in and he glanced between them before locking eyes with Fox. Fox could see the stern authority in his eye but also a trace of remorse for having to strike not only his friend but whom he considered a son. Fox smiled at him and offered a wink. That was all Peppy needed as his lips slowly lifted into a relieved grin and he nodded to him.

"Hey, gramps, what's with the pity party going on here? Did someone break one of Slippy's video games?" Falco joked with a smile.

Peppy's grin grew as he could see that issues had truly been resolved but then faltered as he looked back down to the toad.

"Slippy's got something he needs to tell you." He said softly.

Falco pulled up a chair beside the amphibian and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "What's up, Slipster?"

Slippy took his hands from his face and stared in bewilderment at the bird beside him who not long ago was a ball of rage. Now he smiled down at him as if the past months of tension had never occurred. Slippy look to Fox in confusion who also smiled at him and shrugged. His features quickly morphed back to a despondent and ashamed visage.

"I…out there…it wasn't Krystal's fault." He said quietly then quickly looked to Falco, prepared for another blow up. Instead, the falcon patiently awaited his explanation as did everyone else. Still surprised by this sudden change in Falco, Slippy turned to Fox and swallowed hard.

"It was my fault." He mumbled.

"What do you mean, Slippy?" Fox asked in confusion himself.

"It wasn't until we engaged the other fighters that I realized…I…I don't know how I missed it…but…I didn't charge the power cells on Krystal's Arwing."

Fox's pupils dilated slightly at the sound of that. Power cells on an Arwing were used to generate energy for the cannons and when properly charged, had a half-life of ten years. If not, they could only generate enough power for a few shots before becoming useless. Each time they had received a new Arwing, charging the power cells was the first thing to be dealt with.

"You what!?" Fox yelled in ire and disbelief.

"I'm sorry! I didn't think we'd run into anybody out there! We've been doing these exercises for days and no one ever…I just…I'm sorry." Slippy finished weakly.

Fox wanted to yell again. This could have gotten Krystal killed and almost provided that result for Falco. Fox opened his mouth to chew out his team mate for making such a careless mistake when he noticed that Slippy was doing his best not to cry. He could see that Falco wasn't too thrilled about this either but could tell that even he felt bad for Slippy. The captain of Star Fox looked to each team member and another epiphany hit him. Fox sighed hard and took a few deep breaths before shaking his head.

"You made a mistake." He said quietly. "It happens."

Slippy wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. "R-Really? You aren't mad?"

"I'm goddamn furious but…we're not perfect. I should know." Fox admitted looking at Peppy. With another sigh, Fox rested his hands on his hips before exchanging eyes with his crew. "The truth is it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to give you shit when I've been a pretty piss poor leader lately. I should have been on top of that too, Slippy. I should have been on top of a lot of things but I wasn't."

"You were training Krystal. That's a lot of work. I should've-"

"No." Fox interrupted. "That's no excuse. I've neglected duties and I've neglected friends because of my own personal agenda. That was selfish of me. You guys deserved better and I owe you all an apology. As someone so crudely put, Star Fox isn't just one person. It's all of us. Somehow I lost sight of that. Luckily I had some sense knocked into me."

He gave Peppy another lopsided grin. Slippy shook his head and addressed his captain.

"We know how you feel about Krystal, Fox. You shouldn't have to apologize for that."

"Whether I should or not, it wasn't right. I overlooked issues that I should have dealt with since the beginning but I let things get out of hand. All I can say is that I'm sorry and it won't happen again." Fox declared.

He felt a strong grip on his shoulder and looked to see that the cause was Peppy, looking at him with pride in his eyes. "That's the Fox I remember. Your dad would be proud to hear you say that. A true leader knows when he's wrong and does what he can to make amends."

Fox looked to the floor, embarrassed to face his mentor. But his own arm came up and returned the gesture. He looked up at Slippy who still carried a mask of burden and shame. Fox held his arm out and motioned for him.

"C'mere, pal."

Slippy hopped out of his chair and Fox pulled him into a side hug. The toad wrapped his arms around the vulpine's waste mumbling another apology. Fox patted his back in a gesture of comfort. All three pilots smiled at one another then looked to Falco still in his seat. He crossed his arms and frowned.

"If you think I'm doing a group hug then you're out of your fucking minds."

There was a herald of laughter from that, Falco even managing a smile. The hot shot pilot stood up and walked over to them shaking his head.

"Okay, if we're all done with the huggy feely crap, my Arwing needs to be fixed ASAP." He pointed out. Slippy pulled away from Fox and nodded to the avian. "I'll get ROB and we'll get it up and running in no time."

"You sure you aren't gonna forget something important this time?" Falco teased with a smirk as he ruffled the mechanic's hat. Slippy rolled his eyes and slapped his hand away. "Very funny, dingus. You want help or not?"

Falco held his hands up in surrender, smile never leaving his beak. He and Slippy left the room leaving the fox and rabbit alone. Peppy chuckled at the two friend's antics before setting his attention on Fox. He could see a smile on his muzzle but his eyes carried a look of worry and anxiousness as he stared at the door.

"Fox." He said, breaking his stupor. "Go see her."

"Oh…yeah…Are you sure you don't need anything?" Fox asked timidly. Peppy shook his head.

"Fox. You've done what you needed to do. Now another member of Star Fox needs you."

"I know. I just want to make sure I-"

"_Go_."

Fox could only smile in defeat and gave Peppy's shoulder a squeeze. He left the break room and hurriedly made his way to the living quarters. His boot steps echoed loudly through the corridors and as he rounded a corner, her door came into view. Fox came to her room and knocked softly on the door. "Krys? It's me. Open up."

There was no response.

"Please, Krystal, open up. Everything's fine. There was a power cell error on your Arwing. It wasn't your fault. Falco knows that and we talked things out. Everything's going to be okay…Krystal?"

Again there was no response. Fox tried the button on her door to open it but discovered it was locked. That proved she was in there. Fox leaned against the door, his hands placed firmly on them.

"Krystal, please…open up. I promise you things are going to be okay from here on. A lot of things were my fault. I let them get out of hand but it's not going to happen again so…come on…Open the door, Krystal…please?"

Fox waited for something, anything. But all he received was more stone cold silence. He sighed hard and rubbed his forehead. She was in there blaming herself and it frustrated him to no end. Knowing that she wouldn't open the door until she was ready, Fox reluctantly walked away. He hated leaving her in there all alone but there was little he could do at this point. As much as he wanted to break the door down, the vulpine knew he would just have to be patient.

When she comes out, Falco would apologize, they would talk things over and he would be able to see that beautiful smile again. Fox felt confident in that. How could he not after what just transpired?

Yes, everything would be fine.

* * *

Slippy yawned as he waddled through the darkened halls of the Great Fox. It was around midnight on Corneria and the ship had been programmed to run on the planet's seasonal rotation, darkening around eleven pm and brightening around five am. He made his way to the library where a light stretched through the open door and into the hall. Slippy leaned against the door frame and knocked on the wall.

Peppy jolted awake from his seat, another mess of maps and books on the table in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and squinted before putting on his glasses.

"Oh, Slippy," He yawned upon seeing him. "Didn't know you were still awake."

"Yeah, I was in the break room with Fox. Poor guy's stressed out of his mind. He finally crashed on the couch." Slippy explained. Peppy shook the sleep from his head though with little success and asked,

"Is she still in there?"

"Uh-huh. I tried again but nothing."

All night the crew had tried to retrieve Krystal from her room when she did not show for dinner but to no avail. Each one of them tried more than once but the vixen never made a sound. Falco even made an attempt but yielded the same result. Fox had spent hours sitting in front of her door, talking about idle things hoping to get some form of response. Eventually the night caught up with them and Falco retreated to bed while the others took a break. Fox had to be dragged away from her door.

"What are we going to do, Peppy?" Slippy asked worriedly. The rabbit shrugged his shoulders.

"We can't force her out. She'll come when she's ready and that might take more than a day. Fox spent weeks in his room when his father died."

"Yeah, I guess…still…I wish she'd come out."

"Me too, Slip."

Slippy stretched his tired limbs and rubbed his eye with one hand and jerking a thumb behind him with the other. "I'm gonna get some coffee. You want some?"

"No, I think I'll have some tea and-"

They were interrupted by the sound of light footsteps ringing off the metal walls and Slippy leaned out of the door frame to see who it was. There was nothing but darkness for a moment, the footsteps getting louder, a sharp clacking sound. Then slowly, a blue figure emerged from the black, a golden staff in hand. Slippy breathed a sigh of relief and held out his arms.

"Krystal! Thank goodness you came out! We were all really worried!" He exclaimed.

Peppy quickly rose from his seat and joined the toad, a tired smile on his lips. "I'm glad you're here, Krystal. We were…" Peppy trailed off as the Cerinian they were addressing walked passed them as if they were ghosts, unseen to the living.

"Krystal?" Slippy croaked. When she did not turn around, Slippy jogged up to her, grabbing her arm. She stopped but did not face him.

"Krystal, what's wrong?" The stocky pilot asked. Krystal sighed and turned her head towards him and Slippy could see her once sweet feature had fallen into despair. He also noticed she was out of uniform and wearing her native clothing again.

"I have to go." She spoke just above a whisper.

"Go? Go where? Fox is in the break room. I can take you-"

"No, Slippy." Krystal said a little louder but with more despondency. "I have to…leave."

Slippy stared up at her in confusion. He did not understand. A second later, his eyes suddenly widened when what she was saying finally sunk in. He shook his head furiously, grip tightening on her arm.

"What!? No! Y-You can't go! You're one of us!"

Peppy joined them, looking at Slippy then to Krystal. Slippy turned to him with a wild pleading look in his eyes. "Krystal's leaving! Say something, Peppy!"

Peppy shifted his gaze until it rested on the sapphire fox. He saw the pain in her face and shook his head.

"Krystal, what happened wasn't your fault. Things have been cleared up. We're not going to kick you out if that's what you're thinking. We would never do that."

"I am leaving on my own accord, Peppy." Krystal told him. "I have failed this team too many times and I will not be responsible for your deaths."

"You haven't failed anyone. Please, sit down and we'll talk about this." Peppy pleaded. Slippy nodded his head vigorously in concurrence.

"There is nothing to talk about. I have made my decision. The best thing for everyone is for me to leave." Krystal declared, her voice straining with inner torment.

"No!" Slippy cried, grabbing onto her with both hands now. "You can't leave! You can't! What about Fox!?"

Krystal managed a smile and leaned down, cupping his chubby face in her hands.

"Fox is strong. He…He will understand but you need to look after him. Just like when you followed him to the academy. He'll need you, Slippy. Promise me you will take care of him."

Slippy shook his head in denial and wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't go…" He whispered with a tremble. "You're our friend…You're my friend." Krystal returned his embrace and rested her chin atop his head.

"You are my friend as well, Slippy. You will _always _be my friend. I am so happy to have known you and will cherish your friendship forever."

She released him and stepped away, Slippy wiping his eyes. Krystal turned to Peppy who shook his head at her. "Don't leave." He rasped, his throat tightening.

"Peppy," She whispered, reaching down and taking his hands into hers. "I have known many kind and wise people in my life but you have succeeded them in all levels. I was a stranger that did not belong here and you took it upon yourself to try and help me find the answers I was looking for even if there were none. Your heart is so large and full of love that when I look at you I see my father. And that gives me great comfort. Thank you so much…for everything."

Krystal had difficulty controlling her emotions and hugged the old hare who was too numb to hug back. She turned so that they would not see her tears and hurriedly descended down the corridor. Slippy and Peppy watched her disappear in a saddened daze until Slippy snapped back to reality and turned on his heel, running down the other side of the hall.

"Fox! I gotta tell, Fox!"

Peppy shook himself from his trance and followed the amphibian. Fox needed to know and needed to know now. Despite his age and the ache in his limbs, Peppy caught up with Slippy and the two past Falco who had poked his head out from his door.

"What the hell are you two doing?" He asked groggily, the feathers on his head sticking out every which way.

"Krystal's leaving! We have to get Fox!" Slippy called out over his shoulder.

"Stall her, Falco!" Peppy ordered, keeping up with Slippy.

"Shit…" Falco muttered as he ran out of his room in nothing more than a pair of wrinkled sweatpants. He sped down the halls until he came across a swishing blue tail rounding a corner. Falco picked up his pace and when he turned the corner he cried out, "Krystal!"

The vixen turned around, blue eyes full of surprise at the sight of the falcon. He panted hard and doubled over, hands on his knees. "I gotta quit smoking." He coughed. Krystal waited for him to catch his breath and when he righted himself up, Falco took a step towards her.

"Don't leave." He said. "I owe you an apology. I treated you unfairly all because I had beef with Fox and that wasn't right. I said some rude things to you that I didn't mean. So don't leave on account of me being a dill hole."

Krystal's face softened and she bowed her head to him.

"Thank you, Falco. Your apology is very thoughtful and I accept it."

"Good. Now let's-"

"But you were right."

Falco peered at her in question. Krystal stared at her feet, a troubling frown gracing her lips. "I don't belong here."

"No." Falco retorted, shaking his head. "I was wrong. I was wrong to say that to you because you do belong here. You've come a long way and flying is like a second nature to you. I've seen you maneuver out there and you're good. What happened today wasn't your fault."

"It does not matter if it was not my fault today. One day it will be. And I cannot stay here knowing that. I do not wish to see any of you die because of me." Krystal stated.

"Is this about Titania? Look, I know I was harsh about it but I get it. It's not easy to kill someone much less some kid. You froze. It's happened to all of us, even me." Falco admitted.

"And that almost cost Fox his life." Krystal hissed more at herself than him.

"Yeah, it almost did. But looking back at it, would you hesitate again? I know how you and Fox feel about each other. You want to protect him just as much as he wants to protect you. If it happened again…you wouldn't hesitate. I _know_ you wouldn't. Just like how I wouldn't hesitate to put a hole in the head of anyone who tried to hurt Fox, Slippy or Peppy…or you."

Falco stepped closer to her and gripped her by the shoulders.

"You _are_ a part of Star Fox, Krystal. That means we stick together. We watch each other's backs. I forgot that a long time ago and have regretted it since. I won't let you make the same mistake." He proclaimed.

Krystal let her eyes linger on him, touched to the core by his words. Touched because she could see that this was the _real_ Falco. Hidden behind snide comments and an egotistical veil. She very much would have like to have been friends with this Falco. She smiled sadly at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Falco was taken aback by her affection, unsure of what to do.

"You are a good man, Falco." She told him, her muzzle lingering on his shoulder. "This team is very lucky to have you and I know you will keep them safe. I know you will keep Fox safe. Of that I have no doubts."

She pulled away and stepped back from him. She still smiled but it was heavy with sorrow and Falco felt a frown form on his beak.

"I only wish I was capable of the same thing. Good bye, Falco Lombardi. I will not forget you."

With that, she hastily left leaving Falco by himself in the corridor. At first, he felt nothing. As if nothing had happened. But when her words sunk in, there was a feeling of great dejection in the pit of his stomach. He caused this. This was his fault. He had made her believe the things that he had said out of anger and jealousy. Falco collapsed against the wall covering his face with a hand and muttered, "Fuck…"

As Falco came to terms with his recent discovery, Krystal rode the elevator down to the hangar, hand over her mouth to stifle the sobs that leaked out from her mouth. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to leave her friends and her new home. She didn't want to leave Fox.

But she had to.

Since that day on Titania, her mind had constantly returned to that point in time where she could not do what needed to be done. It was silenced for a while due to Fox's confession of love and she could not stop the happiness that wormed its way inside of her. But as her love for him deepened, she thought about the space pirate more and more. What she could have been responsible for and what she could still be responsible for. Krystal believed them when they said it wasn't her fault today. She had pressed the firing trigger hard enough to break it yet nothing occurred. But who was to say she would not have failed in that? Who was to say she would not have gotten Falco killed?

Krystal soon realized that failure was inevitable. Today's mishap had shown her that. If she truly cared for them then leaving was her only option.

They would be safe if she was no longer there. They wouldn't have to worry about her screwing up. They wouldn't have to worry about dying. Krystal would miss them greatly and the pain inside her burned so fierce that it almost shook her to her knees. But at least they would be alive.

The elevator came to a stop and she quickly ran out down the corridor until she came to the entrance of the hangar. The door slid open and she was through them before they had even parted all the way. She needed to hurry. The sooner she was gone the better.

Krystal hated herself for trying to sneak away. The others had caught her and she had made her peace with them. But Fox…

The cerulean fox blinked away more tears as she passed the Arwings and jogged over to her old ship that was still stowed away.

Krystal didn't want to see Fox. She didn't want to see the hurt and confusion in his eyes. She wanted to spare herself that pain as selfish as it was. But Krystal also wanted to get away before he could see her because she knew that Fox could bring her back. He would pull her into his arms and tell her that everything would work out. That she belonged here and would kiss her with the same passion he did the day he was almost killed because of her. That thought alone was almost enough to make her turn around.

Which was why she had to leave and leave _now_.

Krystal opened the hatch to her cockpit, the canopy sliding back and revealing a seat and control panel. She tossed her staff inside and as she prepared to hop in, Krystal paused, noticing the piece of red material she had hastily stuffed on the inside of her left gauntlet upon leaving her room. She pulled it free and gazed longingly over Fox's flight academy shirt. Krystal fought the urge to inhale his scent that lingered on the fabric as it would only tighten the grief wrapped around her heart. Shaking her head to force herself back to reality, the vixen threw the shirt inside and took a step into the cockpit.

"Krystal!"

Her head fell back and she recited every curse word in Saurian she knew inside her mind. With a slow look behind her, she could see Fox running up to her ship. That expression she was so terrified to see was plastered all over his face. He came to a slow jog upon reaching the ship until he stood beside it, staring up at her. They held each other's gaze in silence; the vulpine's eyes reflecting desperation and puzzlement while the vixen sported an unimaginable torment in her own.

"You can't." He repeated what had been said over and over to her. She let out a taxing breath and shook her head.

"Fox…"

"Whatever the problem is," Fox started, climbing up onto the ship, "Whatever you're scared of, we'll figure it out."

Krystal managed a small smile despite herself. "You make it sound so simple and I wish I could believe that."

"Then why can't you?"

"Because I won't allow my inadequacy be responsible for what I fear most." She said, voice strained with emotion.

Fox made a face of anger and pounded his fist on the ship's surface, the sound reverberating off the walls of the hangar. "You don't know that! You can't just assume that will happen! What did I tell you? You can't predict the future!"

"No, but I can avoid it. I have lost everything, Fox. My friends, family and my home. That was something I never thought would stop hurting. But being with you and the others…I had a hole inside me that you all filled…and you…you helped me see that." Krystal cried, letting her tears fall freely.

"I will not watch my new family die. And I will not let it be because of me." She declared.

Fox's angry expression fell and was replaced by a longing and pleading look. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. Krystal felt her tears increase and resisted the unbearable urge to hug him back.

"Don't leave." Fox whispered in a voice that was absent of the confidence or strength he usually carried. "I hated my life so much before you came along. You gave it meaning again. I…I need you, Krystal."

"Oh, Fox…" She sobbed, giving in and embracing him with all her strength. "That's not true and you know it. You have Slippy, Peppy and Falco. They are what give your life meaning. Star Fox _is_ your meaning."

"And you're part of it."

"No…I'm not." She said and squeezed her eyes shut from the pain in her heart from such a statement. Fox did not let her go. He continued to hold her knowing that if he let go, she would disappear from his life forever. Krystal managed to pull away from him and looked into his eyes for the last time. They were watery and dim. The opposite of the eyes she had first gazed into atop of Krazoa Palace.

"I love you." He spoke above a painful hush.

Those three words. Three words that made her so happy to hear and grieved her beyond all comprehension. Krystal sniffed back a few tears before gently cupping his face in her hands. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. She broke away, muzzles just an inch apart before saying,

"And I love you, Fox McCloud. Wherever I am in the universe, you will always have my heart."

After the words left her mouth, Fox felt himself shoved hard by the blue vixen and he tumbled down the side of her ship and onto the floor. Krystal despised herself for that action but knew it was necessary. She quickly jumped into her cockpit and the canopy slid closed. She punched a code into her navigation unit. There was sudden onslaught of alarms blaring from the hangar which indicated that the doors would be opening to the galaxy outside.

Fox scrambled to his feet, unhurt from the fall and pounded on the side of her ship. "Krystal!" He screamed over the alarms.

The entrance to hangar opened and ROB strolled in. The robot made his way over to the emotional fox and clamped a hand down on his shoulder.

"Code 46 has been initiated. Hangar doors will be opening, Fox. You must clear the area." He informed him in his metallic voice. Fox paid no heed to the droid and continued to yell Krystal's name. Fox made an attempt to jump up on the ship again but was roughly pulled away by ROB.

"We must evacuate the area."

"No! Put me down, ROB!"

ROB gave no response and dragged a kicking Fox away within his steel grip. Fox hollered at the top of his voice but to no avail as Krystal's ship began to lift off the ground. He could see her through the canopy and she gave him a weak and melancholy smile. It was the last thing he saw as the hangar door entrance slid shut and locked. He broke away from the bot and pounded on the doors. He shouted until his voice was hoarse, the alarms drowning it out.

After an unbearable amount of time, the alarms finally ceased and the latch on the door unlocked. Fox forced the door open with his hands and stumbled out into the hangar. He fell to his knees exhausted as he looked upon the spot where her ship had just been. What remained was nothing more than the faint smell of thrusters initiating a takeoff.

Fox didn't want to believe it. He wanted to say this was some horrible nightmare that he was sure to wake up from to find the vixen by his side. But he couldn't.

She was gone.

* * *

_A/N: THE END._

_Just kidding._

_Figures once Falco and Fox get over their anger, another monkey wrench gets thrown into their lives. I know that there was a comic explaining why Falco left but I wanted to give my own spin on it. It seems like something Falco would have done given his attitude so I ran with it. It's a shame those two couldn't have just done this in the beginning. Maybe we could have avoided this. _

_So...Krystal's gone. What dos that mean for Fox and the others? Find out in Chapter seven!_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Wow, I didn't think everyone would like that last chapter so much. I'm glad you're all digging it. This chapter is going to be a bit different from the others in the sense that it's going to be a bit more lighthearted. There's been so much drama that we need some humor. But fret not, we still need to find Krystal and that's priority number one. Enjoy!_

* * *

The Great Fox rolled through space listlessly, its engines burning with the force to send it forwards but with no real destination in mind.

For the past week, the massive flagship coasted from one side of the sector to the other. Each time was as uneventful as the last. There were no pressing matters at the moment. No threats, no impending wars or assassination attempts. Just peace and quiet throughout the Lylat System. The Great Fox almost seemed like a lost soul, forever searching for its rightful place.

Inside the ship was even quieter.

The Star Fox team was currently held up in the break room. Peppy sat at the lunch table with a few maps but as his eyes scanned the pages, there was no real interest there. Slippy was playing video games on the couch, his button movement slow and robotic. His face was worn and fallen despite never reaching the level he was currently on before. Falco stood in front of the open fridge prepared to make a snack. His appetite, however, was lacking and all he could do was stare at the food in front of him.

Last but not least was Fox. The team leader stood in front of a porthole watching the stars pass by. He had been the quietest one of all. Fox barely spoke unless necessary and his presence among them was seldom at best. The vulpine preferred his solitude and the others could not blame him.

They all missed her.

The girl who had come from a doomed planet with strange blue fur and a kind heart. Her sweet nature and warming smile was a once common occurrence around the Great Fox that was sorely missed. There was a feeling of emptiness among them. The feeling that Star Fox was not truly whole.

Falco slammed the fridge door shut, cursing under his breath. He turned and looked at his fellow pilots. They all looked so defeated and grim. The sight fueled disdain in his veins but not for them but rather for himself.

He still blamed himself for what happened.

He and Krystal were obviously not as close as the others for well-known reasons. That had changed but unfortunately too late when he realized she belonged in this strange group they called a family. If he had been a better person, a better team mate, then she would still be here. Perhaps they would be close like the others. She seemed to have that effect on people.

"I'm going to check if we have any messages from Pepper."

Falco and everyone else in the room looked up at Fox who had spoken in such a monotone and lifeless voice. They had barely recognized it as his own. Without waiting for a reply, he left the break room leaving everyone to stare at where he had exited.

"Jesus Christ…" Falco sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. Peppy leaned back in his chair, taking off his glasses with a heavy groan.

"Has he slept?" He asked worriedly.

"Not really." Slippy answered, dropping his controller. "He spends most nights on the bridge with ROB trying to locate Krystal's ship. I want to tell him it's pointless but I don't have the heart. Cerinian technology is a lot different from ours, not to mention unknown. Without a database on it, tracing a signature is impossible."

Peppy threw his glasses down on the table and shook his head. "What a God awful mess this is." He mumbled. Slippy ended up joining him, pulling a chair up and plopping down.

"What if she's in trouble?" He wondered, voice full of concern.

"Krystal's a tough girl. She's been on her own long before she met us. I'm sure she's fine wherever she is." Peppy assured half-heartedly.

"She should be here…" The toad mumbled.

Slippy felt a surge of tears threaten to escape but he resisted the feeling. Instead he glared at Falco. "This is your fault, you know!" He shouted angrily, pointing a green finger at the bird. "If you hadn't been such an asshole then this never would've happened!"

"Slippy, don't you dare start that crap again!" Peppy ordered, banging his fists on the table. "We just finished putting it behind us so-"

"He's right."

Peppy blinked and turned his head towards Falco in surprise. Slippy too found himself sharing the rabbit's shock. Falco admitting he was wrong? The notion was practically unheard of. Falco had his arms crossed and was staring down at his boots. His eyes were shut and his brow was wrinkled in grievance.

"It is my fault. If I hadn't acted that way then she wouldn't have left. If anyone deserves the blame it's me." He declared.

Peppy let out a frustrated sigh escape his nose and looked at Slippy. The toad avoided his stare and looked down at the table. Peppy pushed himself out of his chair, rubbing his eyes hard with his palms.

"It's irrelevant whose fault this is. We can sit here and blame ourselves or each other but it makes a lick of difference in the end. Krystal's gone and we have no idea where to look for her."

"What would we say even if we did find her?" Slippy moaned. "We tried telling her this was her home and if Fox couldn't make her stay then what's the point?"

Peppy had no answer for his question. He was out of answers at this point. He sat back down and slumped, feeling defeated. The hare had hoped that somewhere in his old memory there was a solution for something like this. Unfortunately nothing came to light which only increased that feeling of dejection even more.

Slippy could see his old friend's state of mind and it caused him to reflect it like a mirror, his mood worsening. Falco looked at the two and the gloom that lingered on their faces like a virus. He caught a look of his own reflection in the fridge's highly polished metal surface and it was disturbingly similar. For him, it was like staring at a stranger. Someone who shared none of the traits the brash and cocky pilot embraced. That's when he sneered as a new feeling erupted through him.

What the hell was wrong with them?

Was this really the Star Fox team? A bunch of sad sacks laying around crying about their problems? Didn't they bring peace to the Lylat System? Didn't they just save an entire planet from destruction?

"_Hell no."_ He thought.

Falco had realized just how pathetic they had all become. Never in his life had he seen such self pity and it made him sick. This was a new low for this team that he refused to accept. He had never been one for feeling sorry for himself or sitting on his ass when there was work to be done. Falco was done with that. The avian punched the fridge door and spun around, back straight and fists clenched.

"The point is we have a team member out there that needs to be brought home and that's exactly what we're gonna do." He growled.

Peppy and Slippy snapped their heads toward him, eyes blazing with bewilderment. Slippy frowned before saying,

"But, Falco, we can't-"

"Enough with the 'we can't' routine!" Falco yelled over him. "We've spent the last week sitting on our butts talking about what we can't do and having a pity party. Well, I'm pretty goddamn sick of it. Last time I checked we were Star Fox. We've saved the Lylat System twice and not once did we leave anyone behind. Why should now be any different?"

Peppy and Slippy could only stare at the falcon, his words taking a moment to sink into their brains. They exchanged glances and both felt a surge of embarrassment and shame course through them. They knew that the hot headed pilot spoke the truth and they should have seen it sooner. Sitting around and moping wasn't going to bring Krystal back. They had been through such hard times and never quit so why give up now? Peppy laughed and shook his head, standing up.

"Well, I'll be damned. Falco Lombardi the motivational speaker. Now I've seen everything."

Falco grinned at that. Slippy pushed away from his chair, scratching the spot on his head under his cap. "But how do we go about finding her? Where do we even start?"

"Wherever. We'll scan the entire system if we have to."

"But-"

"Slippy," Falco began, stepping towards the amphibious mechanic. "You want her back, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then no more 'buts'. We're not going to get very far if we keep coming up with reasons to keep wasting time around here wondering."

Slippy gaped at this sudden positive Falco but eventually allowed a smirk to develop and gave a firm nod. "You're right. Gee, Falco, where did this new attitude come from?" He inquired.

"Are you kidding? If it wasn't for my awesome presence, you guys never would have made it past Venom." Falco replied, cocking his head to the side with a smug grin. This brought forth a laugh from Peppy. It was a refreshing sound. A welcoming sound.

"Believe me, we haven't forgotten." He said through dying chuckles. Slippy rubbed his hands together eagerly and looked between the other two. "Right, so what do we do first?"

"First we need to get our captain out of his funk." Falco answered and motioned for them to follow him.

They exited the break room and journeyed through the Great Fox's corridors with a revitalized sense of purpose. Krystal was out there somewhere and they had to find her. No matter how long it took. The trio eventually came to the bridge where they spotted Fox in his command chair with his back to them staring out the front window, lost in his thoughts. He hadn't even acknowledged their entrance.

"Fox! We got to talk." Falco announced.

"Not now." Came a dull reply.

"This is important, Fox." Peppy added. "We've got a situation here that needs to be resolved."

Fox snorted sarcastically in reply.

"Come on, Fox! Krystal is out there! We need to find her!" Slippy croaked hands up in the air.

Fox shook his head. "I've tried. She's gone. She's gone and she isn't coming back."

Falco grimaced at the state of his friend. This wasn't the Fox McCloud he knew. Marching up to the command chair, Falco spun it around so that the vulpine was facing him and bringing his hand down, smacked Fox right on the nose. The orange furred mercenary let out a yelp and clutched at his muzzle.

"What the hell, Falco!?" He complained as he stood up out of his seat.

"Boo hoo. Poor little Fox." Falco scolded. "Stop being such a pussy. This isn't you. The Fox I knew would be out there in his Arwing going from planet to planet looking for her."

"You don't think I've considered that?"

"Then why aren't you doing it?"

Fox rubbed his nose and shook his head. "In case you've forgotten, she doesn't want to be here. I can't force her to stay."

"But she does want to be here, Fox. You know that." Peppy interjected. "She left because she's scared."

"So what do you want me to do?" Fox asked hotly. "If I could find her, what am I supposed to say? I…I tired but it was no use."

"Then you try again!" Falco hollered, giving his shoulder a shove. Peppy nodded his head in compliance.

"You have to make her see this is where she needs to be, Fox. With us. With you."

"You really think it's that easy? You guys weren't there." Fox hissed.

"No, but we all saw her before she ran off." Slippy spoke up. "She was hurting, Fox. We were her first real friends since Cerinia. It couldn't have been easy for her too."

Fox tried to keep a stern visage but with a sigh it fell and his ears sagged to the sides.

"What if I can't convince her?" He asked quietly.

"Oh my God!" Falco cried in disgust, throwing his hands up in the air. "Could you be any more of a little girl!? You've blown Andross to hell twice! I've seen you barrel roll through dozens of enemy fighters and risk your neck on countless espionage missions! But you don't think you can convince a girl, who's obviously in love with you, to come home!? Jesus, McCloud, what happened to the guy who was so confident that he was able to bang Miyu on the lunch table when we all thought she and Fay were straight up lesbos?"

"Oh, Fox, you didn't." Peppy sighed with a disapproving look.

"Eww! I've eaten there!" Slippy cried in horror.

Fox felt his face go red and hissed at the avian, "Shut the fuck up, Falco!"

"Oh, who gives a shit? That was years ago. My point is that you've done what was said to be impossible time and time again. Why should this be any different?"

Fox lowered his gaze to his feet, the words of his friend weighing down on him. He felt a hand grip his shoulder and looked up to see Falco. He was looking at Fox with an expression of empathy and confidence.

"This girl is crazy about you, Fox. We all know it. If there's anyone in the galaxy that can convince her to come back; it's you."

"But how? She thinks she'll get me or one of us killed."

Falco smiled and gave him a playful shake. "You'll think of something. Tell her that Slippy's one of the worst pilots we've ever seen and we've been able to stay alive with him dicking around out there."

"Yeah, we-…Oh, go fuck yourself, Falco." Slippy retorted irritably.

Fox failed in holding back a snicker. He looked to Falco, then to Peppy and finally Slippy. He stood up straight and smiled at them.

"You know I don't say this enough but…I can't think of a better group of guys to call my team…or my friends." He said.

The others all shared his expression and the down cast and brooding fog that had enveloped the ship was finally lifted. This was the Star Fox they all remembered. Slippy suddenly frowned, turning to look at the universe outside.

"Not to break up the mood but we need to figure out where to start looking."

There was a silent concession among them as each mercenary searched their brains for any ideas. For a few minutes they debated on where to look or what to do but each idea seemed as lacking as the next. A moment later, it was Fox who looked up as if he had been struck by lightning.

"I've got an idea." He said.

Fox turned to the control terminal behind him and punched in a few numbers. A bright green holographic image appeared in front of them, a yellow triangle highlighting the Great Fox's position in the sector.

"ROB, can you retrace the Great Fox's position from a week ago?" He spoke to the robot who was occupying the lower level of the bridge.

"Affirmative." Came the static reply.

ROB positioned himself in front of another control terminal and his robotic fingers typed away furiously. The holographic map began to change, the triangle moving towards another sector. It finally came to rest in between three distant circles which represented planets.

"Former position revealed to be Sector 56-L." ROB announced.

"56-L?" Peppy repeated. "That sector holds Katina, Zoness and Dinosaur Planet…No…Sauria. That's what Krystal called it."

Fox's eyes transferred from one dot to the other and he felt something stir inside him. Something he couldn't quite explain with any real rhyme or reason but it was there none the less.

"What are you looking for, Fox?" Slippy queried.

The vulpine pointed to the triangle, his finger passing through the holographic image. "This was our position when Krystal left. There are three planets in the sector. If I had to guess, she would have had to have landed on one of those planets."

"But why those planets? She could be past the Lylat System for all we know." Falco said, scrunching his brow at the map.

"I don't think so." Fox mused with a shake of his head. "Cerinia is gone. I can't see her leaving the Lylat when there's nothing out there for her."

"True. It's just that she has the entire solar system and-"

"Look, I'm not saying it makes a lot of sense and I could be wrong but…I just have a feeling about this."

Fox felt stupid for saying that. It really didn't make much sense. But that nagging feeling held firm as he looked at the map. It surged the minute he rested them on a small green circle that represented Sauria. He felt Peppy clap him on the back in support.

"Trust your instincts. That's what your dad would tell you." He smiled.

"Ugh, that was corny." Falco muttered. Slippy elbowed him in the ribs.

"So what's the plan, Fox?" Peppy asked. Fox bit his bottom lip. That had past through that sector not long ago. He looked back over to ROB and called to him. "ROB, how long will it take for us to get back to Sector 56-L?"

"As per my calculations, three days is the time required for the Great Fox to return to the point of interest."

"Hmm…What about Arwings?"

"With the proper amount of fuel cells, calculations suggest twelve hours."

Fox looked back to the map and scratched the back of his head. Peppy could see that there was something bouncing around in his head. "What are you thinking, Fox?" He wanted to know.

"I'm not waiting three days." He stated firmly. "I've wasted enough time already. I have an idea if you guys are willing to try it."

"Go for it, chief." Falco shrugged.

"Yeah, Fox, let's hear it." Slippy pressed.

"We have three possible planets where Krystal could be. We can't exactly comb each one inch by inch. If she is on either one, who knows how long she'll stay there."

"So what do we do then?" Falco queried.

"Peppy," Fox addressed the hare who stood at attention. "I want you to put a call through to Pepper and have any Cornerian Military operatives on Zoness and Katina put a stand down order for any ships leaving the planets. If she's there, I don't want her leaving."

Peppy nodded in consent.

"Falco, you take Katina and Slippy will take Zoness. That is if you guys are up for a twelve hour flight." Fox said hopefully. Falco smirked and brushed the side of his beak with his thumb.

"That's what I call a good time."

"Doesn't bother me. I'm game if you guys are." Slippy cheered with his usual enormous smile.

"I'll take Sauria. I know my way around there more than you guys." Fox declared. "How fast can you get the Arwings prepped, Slippy?"

"Probably an hour. Hour and a half tops."

"Get to it. See if you can help him out, Falco. I want us on the way as soon as possible."

Slippy gave a thumbs up and turned to leave. Falco shot the vulpine a wink and joined the toad. On the way out, Slippy shook his head as he said, "Jeez…Miyu? How is it Fox can get all the girls and I can't even get one!?"

"Hey, I bought you that hooker for your twentieth birthday and you ran away." Falco reminded him.

"It was a dude!"

"You didn't know that."

"Yes, I did because his Adam's apple was a big as his balls!"

Peppy laughed and shook his head at the two before sitting down at his chair on the bridge and punching in a few keys. It may take some time to get a hold of General Pepper but he had no doubt that when he did, things would start moving and fast. He looked up to see Fox staring at the map again. His green eyes seemed entirely focused on Sauria though he could see the hint of fear in them. Fear that the foreign blue vixen was long out of his reach.

"We'll find her." Peppy said softly, breaking Fox away from his staring. Fox smiled weakly at him and nodded.

God did he hope so.

* * *

Fox let out a sigh of relief when the familiar green and blue hue of Sauria finally came into the vision of his cockpit.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly with the back of his hand. Twelve hours in a tiny space flying through the cosmos wasn't exactly the most comfortable way to travel. His back had a slight ache and his tail felt numb from sitting on it all day. But he was finally here and the potential promise of what that would mean quickly filled him with energy.

Fox maneuvered his Arwing through a series of stray meteors and increased his speed. The planet drifted closer and closer and he felt his nerves surge with every second. He didn't think he would ever be so eager to come back to this planet despite the circumstances.

Sauria was beautiful, of that he had no doubt. But the things he had seen and experienced were beyond all comprehension. Talking dinosaurs, magical warpstones, ancient spirits and gems that kept the planet together? The whole time Fox was there, he felt as if he was on a bad L.S.D. trip or stuck in one of Slippy's video games. But despite that, Fox felt…connected to this place somehow. Perhaps that was why he had really chosen to come here.

Fox tapped a few keys on his control panel and spoke into his headset.

"Fox to Falco and Slippy. Do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Foxy." Falco replied over the headset.

"Slippy here!" The toad responded in his usual high pitched voice that made Fox's ears pin back.

"I've reached Sauria. How are things on your guy's end?" Fox asked.

"I'm still about a half hour away but no problems so far." Falco yawned.

"Zoness is in view but I still have maybe fifteen minutes before I can breach the atmosphere." Slippy croaked.

"Alright. I'll be landing in five. Keep me updated, guys. I want to know anything that happens no matter how small or insignificant you think it is. I'm counting on you." Fox told them earnestly.

"Relax, Fox. How hard is it to find a half naked blue fox?" Falco joshed.

"Yeah, we'll find her. I'm sure of it." Slippy agreed with confidence.

Fox smiled and hit a few more buttons on his panel. "Thanks, boys. I'm about to enter the atmosphere. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Fox out."

He switched off the communicator on his head set and angled the nose of the Arwing down towards the planet that now filled his canopy and beyond. As he descended, Fox felt the sudden tug of gravity as his ship was pulled towards the planet. The nose of his Arwing began to glow orange from the heat of entering the planet's atmosphere but eventually began to fade. Fox soared through thick clouds until finally breaking through and seeing a lush green landscape below him.

The familiar terrain of ThornTail Hollow eventually greeted him and he maneuvered the ship into a landing position. Slowly it sank down to the clearing he had landed in over a dozen times, the tropical trees and long grass billowing from the force of the Arwing's engines. The ship touched down with a gentle rock of its landing gears. The canopy popped open and Fox jumped, feet firmly planting onto the grass.

To which he then prominently fell down.

Fox climbed to his feet in embarrassment. How the heroic savior of Dinosaur Planet must have looked falling on his face because his legs had fallen asleep. He looked around to make sure no one had noticed, seeing only the few ThornTails that usually resided in the area grazing. Clearing his throat, Fox made his way over to the spot where he first found Krystal's staff. The wildflowers that grew there still bloomed brightly in the sun and it made him think of that moment that ultimately set in motion the events that led up to now.

He let his eyes linger on the spot before moving on. Fox crossed the stream of clear sparkling water and stood in front of the ThornTail Hollow Store. The orange vulpine turned in a circle, taking everything in as the gears in his head turned.

Where should he even start?

Fox had no idea where to begin looking. Dragon Rock, SnowHorn Wastes, Moon Mountain Pass; all of them were simply just a guess. But Fox still had that nagging feeling inside him. That he was where he needed to be. That she was here somewhere.

As Fox continued to ponder his choices, a shrill cry suddenly pierced the air causing his fur to stand on end.

"Fox! Fox! Oei'ho rusb!"

Fox let his head fall into his hand as he groaned loudly. He hoped to have avoided this. There was the sound of four feet stomping over the grass and Fox turned around to find the crowned prince of the EarthWalkers running towards him. The little dinosaur came to a skidding halt in front of him and began to hop up and down in excitement.

"Oei'ho xoho! Tat oei semo ke jxen mo xen ke vco? Uho kxo Krazoa khuffot uwuad?" Tricky rattled off. Fox shook his head and tapped a few buttons on his commlink and the prince's words became coherent thanks to Slippy's translator.

"Je nxo uho-here!? Are there more bad guys to beat up!?"

"_Tricky_!" Fox shouted, silencing the EarthWalker. Fox took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Hey, pal. How's things?"

"It's great!" Tricky exclaimed. "Everything's been awesome since you brought the planet back together! Even the SharpClaws are friendlier!"

"That's great, bud." Fox said, patting him on his jeweled frill.

"So are you here to teach me how to fly? Huh? Huh? Are you?" Tricky asked again with hopeful eyes.

"Er…no. Sorry, pal, but I'm here for a more…personal reason." Fox mumbled, rubbing his throat. Tricky peered at him in question.

"I'm looking for Krystal." Fox stated.

"Krystal?" The prince repeated in surprise. "I thought she went with you to fight bad guys in space?"

"She did but…" Fox paused. He wasn't sure how to explain the situation to the little guy. Clearing his throat, Fox continued. "She wanted to do some exploring on her own for a bit. I thought maybe she stopped by to visit you. Have you seen her?"

"Nuh-uh." Tricky responded, shaking his head from side to side. Fox sighed and scratched his forehead. He didn't expect to be that lucky anyway. Looking back down at the dinosaur, he asked,

"Has anyone reported any ships seen?"

"Nope."

"Nothing? Not entering the planet or leaving? It wouldn't look like mine."

"My dad would have known if there was anything going on with the planet. You're the only visitor we've had since…well…you."

Fox cursed under his breath and stared up at the blue sky. Of course they didn't. He was getting nowhere with this. Tricky looked upon the fox with sympathy. He seemed very stressed about this.

"I'm sorry, Fox." He apologized. "I wish I could help. But she'll come back won't she? She's still on the team, right?"

Fox put on another fake smile and nodded.

"Yeah…She'll come back."

Tricky frowned. He may be young but he wasn't dumb. Something was wrong and Fox was doing what adults always did around him. Pretend nothing's amiss and tell him what he wants to hear. A part of him wanted to press Fox on the issue but another part of him sensed that this was a particularly sensitive issue for him. Krystal was very pretty and Fox seemed to like her a lot. Tricky was sure that was why the space hero asked her to come with him. But if she was gone than something must have happened and it worried him.

As he struggled with his dilemma, something appeared in the back of his mind that made his head tilt in thought.

"Actually," He started, catching Fox's attention, "I do remember the shop keeper talking about some new items in the store."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"He only leaves the store when something rare shows up. Something not from here. He's got some LightFoot's running around the planet and telling him secrets."

"Oh, he does now does he?" Fox muttered darkly and cast a look towards the store's entrance. Intrigued by this new information, Fox made his way to the entrance. It could be nothing but at this point, anything was worth checking out. He turned back to Tricky who sat down and smiled at him. Fox returned it and climbed down into the cool dark cavern that led to the store.

Fox walked through the torch lit hall until reaching the familiar curtain of the ThornTail Hollow Store. He waved away a few fireflies before pushing past the curtain. The instant he walked in, the Shopkeeper appeared in a haze of green smoke. The heavy robed and legless dinosaur floating just inches above the ground was rubbing his scaly hands together greedily much like he did the first time he met him.

"Welcome to my st-…Oh. It's _you_ again." The Shopkeeper greeted with contempt.

The feeling was mutual.

"I don't have any more maps if that's what you're looking for." The Shopkeeper told him with narrowed eyes.

"I was told you have some new and rare items." Fox said, getting straight to the point. Idle chit chat was not something he desired or cared for with this fellow.

"Yessss, yessss. New items and rare indeed. They're not cheap though. You give me scarabs. Lots of scarabs."

"I know how it works."

The Shopkeeper and Fox held each other's vision with malicious stares but eventually the dinosaur turned and motioned for Fox to follow. With a low growl, he obeyed and trailed after the Shopkeeper through another set of curtains. They entered a small room with random items on stone pedestals and the Shopkeeper motioned for Fox to look around though he watched him with distrust. Fox ignored him and browsed around.

Many of the items were the same as what he had seen the first time he had visited the store. PukPuk Eggs, Dumbledang Pods, GrubTubs; not exactly what he called rare or new. Fox continued to wander, feeling as if he was wasting his time. Just when he was about to give up and leave this greedy reptile and his store, his eye caught something in the corner. Something…red?

Fox padded over to the item and as he stopped in front of the pedestal, his eyes widened, instantly recognizing what once covered the amazing body of the woman he had fallen so in love with.

Fox reached to pick up his old flight academy shirt when his hands were slapped away. He growled at the Shopkeeper with flattened ears and his lips pulled back in a snarl. The Shopkeeper seemed unimpressed by his aggressive display.

"No touching! You can hold when you've paid."

"Where did you find this?" Fox demanded to know. The avarice bound lizard shook his head.

"Pay first. Questions later, yessss."

He pulled out the scarab counter from around his neck and opened it. A set of numbers appeared and the Shopkeeper smiled smugly. The numbers read a price of over two hundred scarabs.

"You pay this much."

"How about I pay nothing and I take it anyways?" Fox snapped with anger. He didn't have any scarabs and he wasn't about to waste precious time collecting them just so he could give them to this asshole. The shirt belonged to him anyways. The Shopkeeper shook his head.

"No, that's too lo-…"

His screechy voice died in his throat as his eyes widened the minute he felt the barrel of Fox's blaster pressed against the spot between his eyes. There was a moment of tense silent, the Shopkeeper swallowing hard. Fox tightened the grip on his blaster, emerald eyes hard and impatient.

"You were saying? And feel free to give me a reason to pull the trigger. No one on this planet is going to miss you." He hissed.

"Ah…yes…I see…" The Shopkeeper stuttered. "S-Since you're a repeat customer, I will let you…have this as a gift."

"How thoughtful of you. Now where did you find it?"

"Eh…uh…I believe it was Cape Claw."

The blaster pressed harder against him.

"Yes! Yes! It _was_ Cape Claw, blast it!"

"How long ago?"

"Two days! Now put that infernal thing away, damn you!"

Fox grinned and removed the gun, holstering it once more. The Shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing the spot between his eyes. He glared hatefully at Fox, baring his sharp teeth at him.

"If you're done robbing me then get out."

"With pleasure."

Fox picked up his shirt, feeling the fabric in his fingers and hoping to capture just a fraction of the warmth Krystal once radiated. The Shopkeeper rolled his yellow eyes and clicked his claws together impatiently. Fox offered him another glare but stuffed the shirt inside his vest and left the dinosaur and his shop, the lizard grumbling empty threats to him. Fox climbed back out into the sun and Tricky ran up to him, face full of eagerness.

"Did you find anything!? Did you!? Did you!?" He asked rapidly.

Fox smiled down at him and nodded. "Yeah. I think I got something. Cape Claw looks to be where I need to go."

"Alright!" Tricky laughed, running in circles before dashing past Fox and looking towards the path that led to the ocean side. "Let's go, Fox! Let's go!"

"Hold up, Tricky."

The EarthWalker turned back and watched the vulpine walk over and crouch down next to him. He had an apologetic smile on his muzzle and patted the dinosaur on the head.

"Sorry, bud, but this is something I need to do myself." He explained gently.

"How come?"

"It's…it's hard to explain. It's grown up stuff."

"Oh…Okay." Tricky mumbled in disappointment. Fox scratched him under the chin to try and comfort him and gave another smile. "Don't worry, Tricky. Once we get this figured out, I promise I'll come back and fly you in the Arwing."

"Really!?" Tricky gasped, his despondency suddenly no longer present.

"Really." Fox confirmed.

Tricky began to run in circles again, occasionally rolling around in the grass in jubilation. The pilot couldn't help but chuckle at the display. While Fox found the prince to be annoying at most times (and on occasion, irritating as all hell), he couldn't deny he had a soft spot for him.

"Yeah! Yeah! You go find Krystal and I'll wait here!" Tricky shouted, his tail wagging in excitement.

"Alright then. Hold the fort for me, pal." Fox said and patted his head once more. Standing back up, Fox made his way down the path that led to the LightFoot village.

He grimaced as he jumped into the cold water of the pond below at the end of the trail and wadded his way up to the next trail that turned into a dimly lit cave. His shadow danced along the stone wall as he jogged through, reminding himself that time could be a factor. Fox maneuvered his way through the small maze, avoiding the carnivorous plants that lashed out at him with their spiked appendages. Even the vegetation on this planet was against him. Fox kicked away the Foxtrap as he rounded a corner to the exit, the plant giving off a shriek. Another set of twists and turns awaited him and when he managed to put those behind him, he came across the amber leaved forest in which the LightFoot village resided nearby.

Fox briskly walked along the dirt path, kicking up dead leaves. It reminded him of the fall season back home and he hoped that he could relive the experience on Corneria with Krystal at his side. That thought pressed him to move faster. Fox reached the end of the trail but frowned in confusion when he noticed that the gate which led to Cape Claw was closed. The scarab idol resided in its usual spot but beside it was a large blue SharpClaw donned in heavy armor and resting his weight on a sharp looking spear.

Fox recognized him as one of Scales' elite guards that would often accept bribes in order to access certain areas. Why he was there though was a mystery. Most of the SharpClaws threw down their weapons and turned to a more peaceful life once Scales was defeated. The vulpine approached him was soon brought to the guard's attention. He held up his spear and took a defensive stance.

"Halt!" He growled. "You pay me scarabs to pass."

Fox looked to the scarab idol then back to the guard. The SharpClaw caught his confusion and smirked.

"Idol broken. Me collect scarabs until fixed."

Fox narrowed his eyes in suspicion, figuring that the brute had broken the idol on purpose so he could pocket the scarabs for himself. He crossed his arms and sighed.

"Twenty five scarabs? Is that what your usual price is?" Fox asked. The giant dinosaur laughed and shook his head.

"Sixty scarabs. That price for Cape Claw."

"Well, I don't have any but I'm going to Cape Claw regardless. So are you going to open the gate or am I going to have to _make_ you open it?" Fox snarled. His patience was running thin with the denizens of the planet and their greed. The SharpClaw shook his head, the feathered plume on his helmet waving comically in the motion.

"No scarabs. No pass."

There was a loud whistle that echoed throughout the forest and the guard's face was frozen in a look of pure shock. His eyes rolled up to look at his helmet which had split in half and slid off the sides of his head, crashing into the leaves at his feet. The barrel of Fox's blaster smoked from the heat of the shot and the look on his face suggested that he wasn't going to miss the next one.

"Hmm. Me see you have boom stick. You pass." The guard stated nervously and pounded the scarab idol hard with his large fist.

The gate behind them rose and Fox lowered his weapon. With one last stern glare that the guard avoided, he passed through the gate. Fox looked down approvingly at his blaster before holstering it. He was confident that if had been able to bring it with him the first time he would have been able to save the planet within hours rather than weeks. Fox came to the old well that led down towards the entrance to Cape Claw and sighed hard. Whoever the Krazoa had appointed to design the planet had a stupid sense of humor. Nothing was ever straight forward. It was always run, climb, jump, dive, float then repeat up and down, side to side.

With a grunt, he slid down the ladder and onto the wooden platform below before running in a half circle just so he could climb _another_ ladder. As he reached to top, the smell of the ocean filled his nostrils and without any more delays, Fox ran down the stone path and was greeted by the beauty of the sea side paradise known as Cape Claw. Everything was as he remembered it. The waterfall that spilled behind the bridge into clear waters below, the sandy beaches with palm trees swaying in a brief gust of wind and the dock still occupied by the gold collecting HighTop who appeared to napping.

What a dinosaur needed with gold he had no idea but there were many things about this place he had no ideas about.

Fox journeyed down to the beach and began to look for any signs of the cerulean beauty. He searched every square inch of the cape. Fox explored the cave where he had freed the Queen CloudRunner and the hidden room where the SharpClaw cannon rested, the explosive weapon now rusted and defunct. He swam out past the shoreline and back, occasionally diving underneath the surface to comb for any hidden areas he might have missed the first time he was here. Fox even tried waking up the HighTop but the long necked Saurian was in too deep a sleep. In the end, the vulpine had found no traces of Krystal.

With a frustrated moan, Fox collapsed on a stone carved ground, his legs dangling over the edge of land that over looked the beach. The sun was beginning to set and he could see clouds rolling in on the horizon. He shook his head at that. As if the insane geography of this planet wasn't bad enough, it also had very erratic weather patterns. It would be sunny and warm one minute then raining and freezing the next.

Fox picked up a rock and threw it into the sea below in aggravation. He searched the entire cape and found nothing. For all he knew Krystal could be long gone. But that feeling from earlier still resided within him, telling him that she was near.

"But I've looked everywhere. There's nothing." He said out loud to himself. His sulking was interrupted by a beeping sound emanating from his commlink. Fox pressed a button and Peppy's voice graced his ears.

"Hey, Fox, Peppy here. What's your status?"

"Not good." Fox sighed. "I thought I had something here in Cape Claw but it looks like it turned out to be nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"I've looked the entire beach up and down, Peppy. There's nothing. But…it feels like she's right under my nose. I don't know, maybe I'm just losing my mind." Fox groaned, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"Maybe not." Peppy replied.

Fox stared down at his commlink. "What do you mean?"

"I'm looking at the Cape Claw map you brought back and there's one more area you might have missed."

"Where?" Fox implored, feeling a surge of hope spread throughout his body. He heard Peppy chuckle.

"I have a feeling it's staring right at you."

Fox didn't understand the old rabbit's meaning and opened his mouth to inquire what he meant when it suddenly dawned on him. Fox turned his body and cast his eyes skyward to look upon the massive Krazoa head that towered above him in monument to the gods themselves. Its algae and moss covered stone skin looking like some bizarre disease in the fading light of the descending sun, hollow eyes staring ahead across the ocean.

There was one more area that Fox had not been. An area so secluded and well hidden that someone could stay hidden for a long time. He climbed to his feet and slowly stepped over to the entrance of the shrine, the Krazoa's mouth waiting to swallow him whole. Fox paused in the doorway and could feel his heart thudding along like a war drum.

"Peppy," He spoke softly into his commlink. "There is one more place. I remember now. I'm heading there as we speak."

"Good. I've got Pepper issuing stand down orders on Zoness and Katina so we're covered for that. Let me know what you find…Fox?"

There was no answer as the vulpine stared into the darkness of the Krazoa shrine, his mind picturing two outcomes of his venture.

"Fox? Are you there?" Peppy's voice pulled him back to the real world and he let out a nervous breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"Yeah. Sorry, Peppy. Just…Just thinking is all."

"I know, Fox. Just remember; if she isn't there, then we keep looking. We won't give up."

"Yeah…Thanks, old timer. Fox out." He smiled faintly.

Fox cracked his neck and took in a deep breath, an attempt to calm his nerves. With a few more seconds of hesitation, he stepped into the shrine. It was cool and damp, the smell of sea salt even stronger inside. The fox moved past the pillars in which he had to use in order to open the gate at the end of the room which reminded him that no matter how annoying Tricky could get, Fox wouldn't have gotten very far without him. He crossed through the open gate, the jade colored hallway engulfing him and his boots echoed off the walls with every step.

Fox arrived in the room with ramps and the small pool of water in the middle and carefully hopped down, a loud splash spraying him with droplets. Wadding through the water, he climbed back up the other ramp and journeyed through another hallway. He was thankful that these puzzles were never reset as it would have been impossible without Krystal's staff he once wielded.

Fresh air began to fill the hall and Fox's ears perked at the sound of rushing water. He picked up his pace and paling daylight could be seen from a distant doorway. Fox slowed as he approached the doorway, his heart rate increasing again. Anxiety and hope filled his body as he was unable to pinpoint his expectations for what lay beyond. Biting his tongue, Fox stepped out into the small slice of paradise separated from the rest.

The setting sun cast an orange glow onto the entrance of the Ocean Force Point Temple, its pillars of shimmering water making the rays bend and dance. Waterfalls that surrounded the area filled the air with the sounds of water crashing into the many pools below and sparkling white sand stretched from one end of the hidden beach to the other. It was truly a scene to behold but it had failed to capture Fox's attention. Instead, he stared ahead to one of the large rocks near a waterfall and the blue figure that sat upon it.

Fox felt relief roll through his body like the waves rolling up the sand on this very beach. He wanted to shout her name and run to her. He wanted to hold her and never let her go. There were a hundred different things Fox wanted to do but all he _could_ do was stare.

There Cerinian sat on her hip, eyes closed and appeared to be humming something. In her lap was a Bafomdad that she gently petted. The creature seemed content with her affection. The sapphire vixen opened her sparkling onyx eyes and gazed up to the sky. Fox could see her elegant features were full of loneliness and affliction as it appeared that she was searching for something she couldn't find in the sky. She had yet to notice him despite Fox only being a few yards away at the foot of the entrance. Eyes transfixed on her, he felt his body move down the ramps and onto the sand. His footsteps were silent as he approached her, another brief gust of wind ruffling her hair and the fur on her tail.

Fox stood just a foot away now, the woman he cared for more than anything else in the world still looking skywards as if in a trance. He found he was at a loss for words when his mouth opened but nothing came out. What could he say? How can he say it?

Fox shook his head. No. He was tired of this. Tired of doubting himself. If there was ever a time for him to speak with confidence and assurance, now was the time. He wouldn't lose her again.

He couldn't lose her again.

Licking his lips, Fox uttered the name of the foreign beauty from a planet, until a few months ago, he had never heard of before.

"Krystal?"

* * *

_A/N: Dick move by me to cut it off there but THAT'S HOW I ROLL...SORT OF. As far as the distance issue goes when comparing the Great Fox and Arwngs, I figured the Great Fox would be a hell of a lot slower considering its size and this was before the Warp Gate. We got two more chapters left then this crazy ride is over. Many thanks to everyone reviewing and favoring this story. Means a lot to me. We'll see you in a couple of days! _


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: So sorry I didn't update this sooner. My computer was having some sort of issue where it wouldn't turn on so I was freaking out. Luckily it seems to have fixed itself but I'm doing a backup onto a flash drive for safety measures. _

_So here we are. The big moment. Now remember, this is not the last chapter. There's still one more after this. An epilogue if you will. But as for this chapter, this is where things get a little...heavy._

_As I said in the beginning of the story, this is not a lemon but I'm pretty sure I'm pushing the borders. That being said, just be aware so no one freaks out. Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

"Krystal?"

The cerulean fox's eyes widened and then closed with a silent sigh as her ears were graced by the owner of the voice that called her name. She knew who it was. There was no mistaking that warm and kind tone. It could belong to no other than the man who had saved her time and time again. Krystal let her eyelids rise and found herself staring down into a pair of emerald green eyes.

Fox stood below her at the foot of the rock. His clothes were damp and covered in sand, no doubt from searching the entire planet for her. He looked tired. Not necessarily physically but the look in his eyes suggested he had been coping with a vast amount of stress and worry. Krystal couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself. It was she who had caused this after all even if her intentions were nothing short of what she thought to be the greater good.

Neither fox spoke. They continued to stare at one another, no words that could express what they were feeling coming to surface. After what seemed like an eternity, Krystal broke the tense silence.

"You found me." She said softly, trying to smile.

A part of her was not surprised by that. His determination and drive to succeed was second to none and Krystal knew that if he wanted to find her bad enough, he most likely would. She thought that this place would have been well hidden enough to avoid this but perhaps that just proved how naïve she really was.

Fox swallowed and nodded his head.

"Yeah…I did." He spoke in a voice that sounded as if he had seen an apparition appear in front of him. Krystal gently put the Bamfodad down and the furry creature scratched its ear before hopping down the rock and off into a pile of shrubs. She slid down the boulder and landed gently onto the sand.

Again they were silent.

Krystal's tail flickered from side to side and she met his vision before timidly asking, "How did you find me?"

"It wasn't easy. We had to split up, Falco and Slippy searching two other nearby planets. You don't leave a very good trail to follow. No one here has seen you or your ship."

"I landed a top DarkIce Mines during the night. No one ever goes up there since Scales was defeated and I made my way here under shadows." Krystal explained. "…What made you choose Sauria?"

"I…Call it a hunch I guess." Fox said, shrugging his shoulders lightly. He looked her up and down before his eyebrows rose in a fashion that suggested he had remembered something. Fox pulled something out from the inside of his flight vest and held it out for her.

"Also, you, uh, dropped this I guess back in the cape. The Shopkeeper took it but I got it back. I…I wasn't sure if you still wanted it."

Krystal stepped closer to him and reached out with her hand, grabbing hold of the shirt she had taken with her the night she left the Great Fox. She had lost it two days ago while scavenging for firewood and cried herself to sleep knowing that the one thing she had to remind her of the vulpine and her friends was lost. She held it in front of her, looking at the words printed on front before hugging it close to her chest.

"I do." She sighed. "I'm sorry I took it without asking you."

"It's okay. I just…I just hope it can keep you warm if I can't."

Krystal could hear the pain and longing in his voice and was almost enough to drive her to tears. The Cerinian shook her head at him. "I wish you had not come."

Fox looked hurt from that comment which only tormented her more. He stepped closer to her and she could feel the warmth from his body lightly touch her, her skin breaking out into a state of goose bumps.

"I want you to come back with me." He flat out said. There was no point in dancing around the subject anymore. "The others, they want you back too."

Krystal turned her head away and a broken sigh escaped her body. The sound made Fox cringe.

"I can't. You know I can't."

"You can't or you won't? I know you're scared, Krystal, but I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way."

She shook her head, azure colored hair swaying. "It does have to be that way."

"Why?"

"It…It's what's best…for you. For all of you."

"And you believe this is what's best for _you_?" Fox cried in disbelief and frustration, his hand sweeping the air, referring to the land that surrounded them. "What's your plan here, Krystal? Forsaking yourself to hide here all alone for the rest of your life? Eating PukPuk Eggs and GrubTubs day in and day out?"

"If I must..."

"Bullshit." Fox growled. "I saw the way you were staring up at the sky. You don't want to be here. You want to be where you belong. With us."

"I belong where I cannot hurt you." Krystal replied.

"Stop! Just stop it!" Fox shouted in frustration. "I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe that this is all for some greater good."

"You may believe what you like but it does not change the truth." She remarked quietly.

"And what about your parents? Is what they would want for their only daughter? Living in misery on some backwater planet?"

"Do not presume to know _anything_ about my parents." Krystal snapped hotly, her voice quivering. "You know nothing about them or what they would want for me."

"You're right." Fox stated softly. "I don't know anything about your folks. I wish I did. They must have been good people to raise someone as wonderful as you."

Krystal's anger faded slightly and she looked away from him, hugging his shirt even closer to her. Fox observed her reaction and stepped closer. He so desperately wanted to touch her.

"But what I do know is that all parents want what's best for their children. I don't think this is what they want for you, Krystal." Fox said. She remained with her back to him and he gingerly reached out and touched her shoulder. The vixen shrugged away, shaking her head.

"I can't go back with you." She told him with a voice that suggested tears were being shed.

"Yes, you can." Fox hissed. "Have you forgotten what you told me the day you accepted the spot on Star Fox? You wanted to find answers. Answers that won't come from living in seclusion among a bunch of dinosaurs. What about Cerinia? What about the truth?"

"I know the truth!" Krystal screamed back, facing him suddenly and clutching the shirt in fists now. "Andross destroyed everyone and everything I ever held dear! What other explanation could there be!?"

"There has to be a reason! It's out there and waiting for you to find it and we want to help you!"

"Andross's lust for power _is_ the reason! Cerinia was destroyed because he wanted to be something more than what he was! He wanted to be a god! It's no different from what he tried to do to your planet!"

"You don't believe that!" Fox stated, ears flattening back against his head. "I didn't spend an entire night holding the strongest woman I've ever known as she wept about her people to think that they died for nothing! They weren't some run of the mill casualties! They were special! You're special and he knew it!"

"How can I know that!?" Krystal wanted to know, her tears free to fall with her anger. Fox let his face soften and spoke with a much gentler tone.

"You don't. You may never know. But that doesn't mean you have to believe they died in vain. You don't have to believe you can't find the answers one day. You don't _have_ to be here alone. I promised you we would help you try and find the truth and I still plan to follow through with that. Even if takes a lifetime."

Krystal wiped away her tears, the vulpine's words making her want to fall into his arms but she stood her ground. She couldn't give in.

"You always know what to say to make me feel like everything's okay." She sniffed. "It's one of the many things that make me love you."

Fox felt his heart flutter from those words leaving her mouth but she continued. "But it's also what makes me stay here. The truth, what I believe in, it has become secondary to me because it is all shrouded with uncertainty. But Slippy, Peppy, Falco and you…That is something I can feel, hear and touch. That is something that I know is there. And I will not watch it burn before my eyes because of my incompetence."

Fox wanted to pull his fur out. It was the same thing over and over with her. The whole irony of the situation could be considered humorous if it wasn't so emotionally frustrating. Wasn't he supposed to be the one looking out for her? How can he make her see that she's wrong? Krystal looked up to the setting sun, twilight almost upon them and the dying rays shone off her jewelry and armor like diamonds caressing her body.

"I love those kind men back on the Great Fox. I love you more than any man I've ever shared my heart with back on Cerinia. Don't you understand, Fox? It has to be this way because it's the only way I'll know you're safe."

Krystal finished quietly, her eyes falling to the ground. She didn't have the courage to face him. Fox could only stare at her, taking in all that she had said. He blinked and moved so close to her that they were almost touching. Her scent reached his nose and it fueled him to do everything he could to not fail in this endeavor.

"Krystal, look at me." Fox demanded. She did not. _"Look at me_, Krys."

She did not want to obey his command but her body betrayed her and returned her attention to him.

"I'm not safe." He said. "I've never been safe since I started this job. I've been shot, stabbed, burned, broken more bones than I can count and suffered enough concussions that it's a miracle I don't have brain damage. But do you know why I've made it this far?"

Krystal had no response but her sapphire colored eyes told him she did not know the answer.

"Because no matter where I went, no matter how dangerous things got, I had those three men you spoke about looking out for me. You don't think that a day goes by where I'm not worried something will happen to them? I'm the leader and if they die, it's on me and _only_ me. You're not alone in worrying about fucking things up." He told her.

"But there's one thing that keeps me going. One thing that helps me sleep. It's that I've survived this long because I have faith in those men. They've survived because they have faith in me and each other. Just like how we have faith in you." He whispered.

Krystal tried to look away again but Fox's hand cupped her cheek, preventing that action from transpiring. His other hand slid up her arm, his fingers gliding through her velvety fur until it reached her shoulder where they gripped it so that she could not retreat from him. His touch was so comforting and it almost said more than words could.

"Those men care for you a great deal." Fox informed her softly. "Slippy misses you like crazy and Peppy thinks of you like a second daughter now. Even Falco told me that you were one of the best he's ever seen. When he's not running his mouth, he can be a real sweetheart."

Krystal failed in holding back an amused grin through her tears.

"I know I've said this before but I'm going to say it again. I'm not sure if I'll ever really be able to stop saying it. Krystal, I love you."

Again, those three little words almost paralyzed her upon reaching her ears. The way he spoke them with such tenderness and devotion. There was meaning in them. Truth and yearning in each syllable that made her heart leap with joy. Krystal could feel her tears increase. She knew what was happening. She told herself she didn't want it to happen but it was a lie she had been telling herself for too long.

She was so damn miserable.

She hated being here by herself. Spending night and day alone just reminded her of how empty her life had become after Cerinia. Krystal missed Slippy's enthusiasm and large smile. She missed Peppy's kind eyes and soothing presence. Falco…Krystal wanted so much to know the kind hearted and sincere avian that had tried to convince her to stay in the end. The vixen believed they would have been close friends.

Krystal wanted to stay with Star Fox. With her friends. With her family.

With Fox.

Krystal had missed him the most. Every night she curled up under a large palm tree, she would think about him, wishing she was back on the Great Fox with him. Seeing his blushing face when she teased him or the way his ears twitched when he was in thought. Krystal would wrap herself in his shirt, wanting the article of clothing to be the vulpine himself. To have his arms around her and holding her close to his body. She had only experienced that twice and the shirt was a poor substitute. Krystal wanted that experience again. She wanted him again.

"I know you're scared." Fox whispered, leaning in even closer. "It's okay to be scared. But don't let fear make your decisions for you. Don't let it control you. Don't let it push you away from me."

"Fox…" She spoke just above a whimper, crystalline tears siding down her cheeks. One of her hands reached up shakily and grasped his one holding her cheek.

"I want…I want to so much…but…I…"

Fox knew he was close. He couldn't let doubt back into her head. Fox tightened his grip on her, his thumb clearing away a stray tear.

"Krystal, I _promise_ you that there is nothing you could do that would cause Peppy, Slippy or Falco any harm. You wouldn't let that happen. I know you wouldn't. Just like how I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Fox took her face in both his hands now, her watery eyes locking with his.

"And I promise you that I will _always_ be around. Now that I have you in my life, I won't succumb to death so easily and I won't let you think that you could be responsible for that. I believe in you. They believe in you. Please…believe in yourself."

Krystal could no longer take the aching in her heart as she fell forwards and wrapped her arms around his neck. Fox squeezed her tightly to him and could feel her sobs tremble through his body. Krystal buried her face into his neck as all her pain and sadness flowed out of her.

Fox McCloud was many things. Mercenary, pilot, fighter, hero to thousands, the list went on. But he was one thing above them all to her. He was a savior. Not just of this planet or countless others but _her_ savior.

Krystal recounted all the wonderful things he had done for her and given her but none so grand as giving her a life again. To give her purpose, unity and love. Things she thought were lost along with Cerinia. Her father once told her that every being in the universe has the right to happiness. The vulpine who held her and the three men in the stars above made her happy. She would not push that away anymore. She would not let fear keep her alone and miserable.

Knowing that now, Krystal could accept Fox's words of confidence. She could believe in herself because now that she had regained what she had lost so long ago, she had no intentions of losing it again. The sapphire colored vixen would not let tragedy befall her new family. She would fight for them and she wouldn't fail them.

She wouldn't fail him.

Krystal pulled away to look at him and she smiled though tears remained falling. "You certainly have a way with words, Fox McCloud." She whispered.

Fox managed a nervous smile, squeezing her again before asking, "Does…Does this mean you'll come back?"

"If you will have me again…Captain."

Fox felt himself grin from ear to ear. He reached down and took his shirt from her delicate hands. With one sweep of his hand, he tossed it into one of the pools behind them.

"I don't think you'll be needing that anymore."

Krystal returned his smile and they leaned in close, muzzles touching in a gentle kiss.

Fox clutched her tighter against his chest as her hands slid up and around his neck again. Their lips danced together slowly but passionately, a wet pop occurring each time the broke apart. Fox relished in her taste. He had gone far too long without it. Krystal moaned softly as his hand slid up her spine and to the back of her head, fingers losing themselves in a sea of blue hair. Krystal felt her fingers grip the neck of his flight vest tightly, wanting to be even closer to him. They broke apart and Fox leaned his head against hers.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." He whispered.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this."

"I know. But now that I have you back, I'm never letting you go again." Fox said, brushing his lips past hers.

"Of that I have no doubts, my love." Krystal whispered back before pulling him into another kiss.

The sun had disappeared over the horizon and night had fallen upon them but the two foxes could not have been more unaware. They were lost in their own little world free from doubt and loneliness. There was nothing but each other and they soon realized that.

The pace in which they were expressing their affection for one another soon picked up. The heart felt and emotional moment they had just shared soon became a distant memory in the back of their minds. All they could focus on was each other and the heat in which had plagued them for so long had made its long awaited return. They breathed hard through their noses as each kiss became more aggressive and passionate. Fox heaved her up off the ground in his arms, lips still locked and Krystal gripped his waist with her legs. Succumbing to pure instinct, Fox fell to his knees and lay on top of her, hand moving from the back of her head to the side her throat. He broke away and kissed her neck in strong swift motions. Krystal gasped and arched her lower back when she felt him nip at her neck with his teeth. Taking advantage of her reaction, the vulpine reached underneath her, his arm keeping her back arched and her hips pressed into him as he reunited his mouth with hers.

Krystal's head was swimming.

The passion and sensual desires that plagued her was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Fox was not the first man she would share her body with but he was the most intense which only drove her to match his intensity. Krystal rocked her hips against him which caused the mercenary to break away and lean his head back with a tortured moan. She gripped at his free arm that was planted beside her head and licked and suckled his throat and bottom lip.

Fox was having trouble controlling himself. He wasn't expecting their reconciliation to go _this_ well but he wasn't complaining. He wanted her more than any woman he could remember. This moment had been building up for weeks as his cracked ribs prevented them from doing so the first time. But there was nothing to stop them this time. Nothing to keep him from showing her how much he loved her.

Fox yanked her up onto his lap, muzzle pressed hard against hers. He growled loudly in the kiss as the vixen began to grind herself into his lap with hard circular motions. He managed to remove his flight vest and Krystal fumbled to get her armored bracelets off. Not waiting for her to finish, Fox placed her back down into the sand again and for a second time, attacked her neck with his lips. Krystal moaned loudly, squirming underneath him and cradling his head in her hands.

"Fuck, I love blue…" Fox panted, hot breath splashing against her skin which only made her quiver more.

His lips move down from her neck to her collar bone, hot ravenous kisses leaving a trail in her fur. They reached her chest where he let his tongue glide over the top of her breasts and down to her sides. Krystal had wanted him to stay there but could not argue over the sensation of his mouth kissing down her stomach. Fox's hands gripped at her sides and Krystal tried to move them to her chest, desperately wanting his attention there again as her skin burned with a fire that only his fingers could soothe but he caught her hands.

"I haven't forgotten about those. I'll get there eventually." He mumbled through another kiss just above her navel.

"You told me it was cruel to tease…" She moaned, eyes closed and head cocked to the side.

"How did you put it? I was giving you a glimpse of what to look forward to?" Fox smiled as he swirled his tongue around her belly button before giving it a long kiss. Krystal moaned again, her hand now resting on the top of his head while the other's fingers dug into the sand.

"Besides," He whispered as his hands moved down to her waist, hooking his fingers around the side threads of her loincloth. "I think you'll enjoy this more."

Krystal felt her panting increase as he began to slowly pull down on her loincloth, his breath washing over every inch of fur and skin he exposed. Her heart raced faster than ever before and her fingers clutched at his head fur which only encouraged him to lower it down to where she knew he was going.

Unfortunately, that was as far as he got.

The sound of thunder split the night sky and the clouds that Fox had so ominously observed from earlier had finally arrived. Within seconds, rain began to fall and hard, displaying the planet's odd weather system. Fox sat up on his knees, hands over his face in disbelief.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me..."

He looked down to Krystal who was sitting up now, hands around her body to try and shelter herself from the weather and she smiled at him. "Looks like the mood is ruined again." She said, trying to bring some humor into the situation despite the disappointment that coursed through her.

"Looks like it." Fox sighed.

Both foxes felt the passion and desire for each other leave their bodies rather quickly as they stood up. Neither knew what to really say to each other after what had just transpired. They were both so ready and willing to give themselves to each other and the fact that the moment had been so cruelly snatched away again left them with a heavy feeling in the pit of their stomachs. Fox shook his head and retrieved his flight vest before draping it around her. Krystal smiled and gave him a quick peck and he couldn't help but smile back. He kissed her back, a little longer before he grabbed her hand and began to lead her back towards the cape.

"Where are we going?" She asked him, voice echoing off the walls of the stone hallway that would take them back through the Krazoa shrine. "It's too cold to stay in here and will be too dark to get back to the Arwing. We need a place to stay tonight and I know of some folks who might be able to help."

The two reunited lovers returned to Cape Claw, large waves breaking over and over onto the beach now. Fox and Krystal hurriedly made their way back to the well, sliding down and climbing up ladders until they reached the amber leaved forest. Soaked from head to toe, Fox grabbed her hand and jogged over to the iron gate of the LightFoot Village and pounded on it.

"Open up! It's me Fox!" He shouted.

There was no one to answer him but then a small head poked out from the edge of the stone wall above them.

"Hey! Get away from village!" The LightFoot cried. Fox took a few steps back and held up his arms.

"It's me! Fox McCloud! I'm an honorary member of the tribe! Let us in!"

"How me know this?" The dinosaur questioned suspiciously. "Me never heard of you! You maybe some steenking thief to take LightFoot treasures!"

"Oh, come on, man! I saved the goddamn planet! How do you not know me!?"

"Thieves say many things!"

"We're freezing out here! Just tell the Chief that Fox McCloud is here!" Fox yelled, anger starting to boil in his veins. The LightFoot shook his head.

"Me no trust you! Me thinks you are steenking furrball liar and-_gack_!"

The dinosaur was cut short in his insults as a much larger LightFoot grasped him by the neck. Fox let his arms fall and smiled in relief as he recognized MuscleFoot. The intimidating tribe member smiled at him and nodded before glaring menacingly at his smaller companion who trembled in fear. With an effortless heave, MuscleFoot tossed him over his shoulder and the Saurian crashed into the mud below.

MuscleFoot disappeared and the gate began to rise. Fox motioned for Krystal to enter and she pulled his vest tighter around her. "You have made some very strange friends here." She remarked as they entered the village.

"You don't know the half of it." Fox sighed.

As they stepped further into the village, they were greeted by cheers from LightFoots that all rushed over to greet the hero of Dinosaur Planet. Krystal grabbed his arm, surprised from how so many had appeared so quickly. A group of them moved aside as the Chief LightFoot stepped forth with MuscleFoot by his side.

"Fox!" The Chief welcomed him warmly. "Good to see you it is! Welcome! Welcome!"

Fox nodded to the Chief and the dinosaur put his hands on the vulpine's shoulders. "Most sorry about guard on duty. He no understand what you did for us and planet. We keel him later." He told him with a bright smile.

"Uh, no, that's not necessary." Fox remarked.

"Very well. He thank you big time for saving skin. Be your slave whenever you visit. What brings you to village anyway?"

"I was hoping we could stay here for the night. The weather turned on us pretty quick." Fox informed the Chief, trying not to shake from the freezing rain that down poured on them. The LightFoots seemed unfazed by the weather, perhaps due to the fact they were a water based tribe.

"Us?" The Chief repeated in confusion. He looked past Fox to see Krystal who clung to his arm and shyly offered the tribe leader a smile. The Chief blinked then a wide smile graced his scaly lips.

"Ohhh. Me see now." He chuckled. He clapped his hands together and two tribesmen appeared before him in a flash. The Chief whispered something to them and they bowed before speeding off further into the village. He turned back to Fox, mischievous smile still remaining.

"We be honored to have you and pretty lady friend stay. We give you hut at back of village. Far away from others. Very private. No one hear you there."

There was a series of snickers that followed from the tribe and Fox scrunched his brow at what the Chief was saying when he suddenly realized the meaning. He blushed and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Krystal shared in his reaction, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Er...Thanks, Chief." Fox said quietly. Embarrassing as it was, Fox couldn't help but feel a short burst in his heart rate when he thought of the opportunity to continue what they had started on the beach.

"But first," The Chief interrupted his thoughts, "We have big feast to honor you! Come! Come!"

Fox meant to protest as they were soaking wet and eating was the last thing on his mind but he felt his stomach rumble, a reminder that he had gone almost an entire day without food. He looked at Krystal who smiled and squeezed his arm.

"I wouldn't mind eating." She said. Fox smiled back and nodded. Turning back to the Chief he said, "We'd be honored."

There was another cry of cheers from the tribe as they ushered the two foxes into the village, the darkened sky above them continuing its onslaught of rain.

* * *

Fox lifted Krystal by her hands up the last few rungs of the ladder and placed her back on her feet, her sandals making a clopping noise on the wooden platform. She continued to hold his hands as she gazed into his eyes, love and appreciation reflection in her sky blue orbs. Fox pulled her close and they hurried along the torch lit bridge through the rain to reach their hut. Fox opened the wooden door for her and she stepped in, dragging her fingers across his abdomen as she past. Suppressing a shudder, Fox closed it behind them and leaned back against the door.

The feast had been surprisingly enjoyable.

The LightFoots had them sit near a gigantic bonfire in the middle of the hut to warm up as they prepared the feast. Fox had been expecting the entire meal to consist of PukPuk Eggs and Dumbledang Pods. He had eaten enough of those to last him a lifetime. But to his surprise and delight, they were served many different foods, most of which he had never seen. There was plenty of sea food which made sense as they lived so close to the ocean but there were a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts he had not seen when he had first visited the planet. They had been cooked to perfection and both Fox and Krystal ate their fill, the delicious food warming them alongside the fire.

When the feast was over, stories and legends were told in front of the giant fire by older members of the tribe. It was all very enjoyable until the Chief wanted Fox to go up and tell of his adventures saving the planet. He declined at first but after much pressuring from the tribe and Krystal teasingly pushing him towards the bonfire, Fox reluctantly agreed. The adolescents that sat in front of him hung on to every word and Fox found that he was enjoying regaling them in his epic quest. He made the motions of his Arwing as he explained flying from area to area and the feeling of the Krazoa when they entered his body.

There was much cheering from the LightFoots when he finished his tale. A dance suddenly broke out with several tribesmen wearing costumes of mythological creatures and deities encircling the massive flame. Fox sat down and that's when he felt Krystal squeeze the inside of his thigh under the table. When he looked into her eyes, there was a hunger there that the feast had not satisfied. Without a word, they left the celebration and back out into the rain that lead them to the present.

Fox looked around the hut as Krystal closed the shutters to the window, muffling the storm outside. A small lamp hung from the roof casting a dim orange glow all around the room. The hut was rather bare, with a few strands of rope and an old fishing net stashed in the corner. In the center was a large bed made of what appeared to be SnowHorn furs, the black and brown hairs looking warm and inviting.

Fox turned his back to the vixen and took off his boots. As he was about to remove his belt, he felt her soft hands slid up his chest and a mild pain as she lightly bit the bottom of his ear. He made to turn around but she whispered in his ear, "No. Stay there."

Fox did as he was told and stared straight ahead at the door. Her hands slowly dropped down to his waist where they slid underneath his sleeveless shirt. Krystal kissed up his bare arm and her fingers dragged across his abdomen, pausing to enjoy the musculature and defined build. Fox was trying to control his breathing and felt her tug up on his shirt causing his arms to rise and the article of clothing to be lifted over his head. Her lips gently returned to his body, warm feathery kisses trailing along his shoulders and the back of his neck. Krystal grabbed a hold of his belt and she unbuckled it surprisingly with ease. Fox leaned his head backed and closed his eyes when her hands slid into his flight pants and gently pulled down on the fabric.

A moment later, Fox was standing completely in the bare.

He didn't blush this time and he didn't feel nervous. Just an overwhelming sensation of desire rampaging through his entire being. Her hands left his body and he felt a chill from her no longer pressing against him. Fox waited for a response from her but all he received was silence and the occasional flicker of shadows on the wall from the lamp.

"Krystal?" He called softly, turning his head slightly.

When he didn't hear an answer, the vulpine slowly turned around and felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest upon what he saw.

Krystal had removed her clothing and was standing before him in nothing more than his open flight vest that was barely covering the right parts. He stepped over to her, looking down her body then up to her eyes. Fox could see himself reflected in them and his raised his hand to cup her chin. His thumb brushed across her bottom lip, Krystal's eyes half shut and mewed at the touch. Fox let his hand travel down her neck where he clutched at the vest. Slowly, eyes never leaving hers, he pulled it until if had freed itself from her body and both foxes stood before each other in all their glory.

Fox never broke eye contact with her. He knew how amazing and beautiful she looked and gazing down would only provide unnecessary validation. Without any more hesitation, Fox wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up again and pressing his mouth against hers. Krystal locked her own arms around his neck and squeezed herself tighter to him, the sensation of her naked body against his own causing an unexpected moan from her. Fox joined her vocal approval; the feeling of her curves flushed against his chest sent his flesh into spasm of chilled bumps.

Fox sank down to his knees onto the furs, Krystal still perched high against his chest. She settled herself onto his lap, lips passionately locked and tongues wrestling for dominance. Fox broke the kiss and nuzzled the valley in-between her breasts. Krystal clutched a handful of fur on the back of his head and grit her teeth, Fox's wet tongue traveling from her valley up to her neck. They kissed again and this time, Krystal maneuvered a hand across his collarbone and dragged her claws down his chest.

Fox broke away, an odd sound coming from his throat that sounded between a groan and a whimper. His chest flexed from her touch and Krystal made a gasp of mock surprise.

"What's this?" She purred when her fingers trailed back up, the fox's upper body tightening again. "Don't tell me that the fearless Fox McCloud is intimidated from a mere woman's touch?"

Taking that as a challenge, Fox pushed her down onto the furs and lay atop of the Cerinian, arms wrapping tightly around her and kissing her hard. One hand slid down her back and promptly squeezed her backside. Krystal let out a surprised moan of her own.

"A mere woman, no." He said, breaking away. "But you're no mere woman."

Krystal pulled on his head to kiss her again but stopped when she stared into his eyes. Fox looked upon her with a warm smile and deep affection which for a moment, caused things to slow down. She smiled back and returned the visage, her hand softly caressing his cheek. Fox reached up and kept it there.

"I'm glad you're with me." He whispered to her.

Krystal squeezed him with her legs.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be." She whispered back.

Fox leaned down and kissed her again.

Outside the hut, the weather continued on with its barrage of rain. The LightFoot celebration had died down and the denizens of Dinosaur Planet slept soundly through the storm. None of them were aware of the union of the two strangers that had come here from so far away.

Two strangers that were connected by this very planet. Whose lives had intertwined to a moment of separation only to come together again on the same planet where they had met. Whether it was fate, destiny or just a mere coincidence, it was what made them both whole after enduring so much loss and heartbreak. The past had held many trials for them but they have prevailed in securing their future.

A future with Slippy, the funny and somewhat clumsy toad with a heart as big as all outdoors. A future with Peppy, the kind old hare whose wisdom and insight would stick with them for years to come. A future with Falco, the hot headed and brash pilot with a soft heart and a never yielding thirst for adventure.

A future with each other.

The future of Star Fox.

* * *

_A/N: I feel like such a prick for teasing you all like that. Maybe one day I'll grow some stones and post a legit lemon but for now, I'm pretty happy with keeping things hot and tense without being too graphic. I've always wanted to do a heavier romance scene with these two then what I usually write and it was a lot of fun. So! Looks like we got a happy ending. As if there was any doubts. The epilogue will be coming up in a few days and then that's the end! Much appreciation for the reviews and advice. We'll see you all in a bit!_


	9. Epilogue

_A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this up again. Lot of life's little things kept popping up. But here it is. Nothing really special but even though I felt I could have wrapped up things in the last chapter, there was a part of me that said it needed just a little more before ending it. Anyways, I've tried to utilize the tips people have been giving me regarding grammar and such so I hope its more suitable._

* * *

Peppy smiled as he watched the four Arwings come soaring back to the Great Fox.

The ships bobbed and weaved between each other almost playfully. One went as far as doing a loop before settling back into formation. Peppy chuckled and punched in a few commands on his computer before pressing down on a button and speaking into a microphone to his left.

"Peppy here. Great Fox hangar doors are opening. You're clear for entry."

"Roger, Peppy. Break out some victory champagne. Star Wolf was sent back to their hideout to lick their wounds," came Fox's response on the other end. Peppy laughed and shook his head.

"I'll make sure to save popping the cork for you. See you in a few."

He stood up from his seat on the bridge and turned to ROB who was typing away at a different command post.

"ROB, what's the damage assessment on the Arwings?" he asked the robot.

"Assessment reports only ten percent damages to all ships."

Peppy smiled even wider at that. He exited the bridge and traveled through the halls and corridors before descending down the elevator. When it came to a stop at its destination, Peppy made his way to the hangar. He could hear the last few rings of the alarm before they shut off; signaling that the doors had closed and the Arwings were docked. The door slid open and Peppy entered the hangar as one of the Arwing's canopy popped open.

"Yeah, baby! That's what I'm talking about!" came Falco's jovial bellow as he stood up with arms raised in triumph. He slid down off the side of his ship and landed with a loud clang of his boots.

Another canopy opened on the ship beside him and Slippy rolled out with nowhere near as graceful as a landing as his comrade. But he wore a smile all the same.

"Whew! That was intense!" he croaked, taking off his hat and wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Those guys have gotten better over the years."

"Yeah, better at getting their asses handed to them. We creamed those shitheads!" Falco exclaimed, punching a fist into his open palm.

The Arwing at the end of the line was Fox's and he climbed down to the floor before jogging a short distance to the one beside his. The canopy rose and Krystal stood up, a smile on her face as she looked down at the vulpine. He smiled back and held out his arms to help her down from the ship. Fox gently placed her back on her feet and she squeezed his hands with her own.

Peppy grinned again and Fox made eye contact with him. He smirked and waved to him, both foxes heading over to join the group. When they were all assembled, Peppy crossed his arms but never let his expression change.

"So, I take it everything went well?" he asked.

"Are you kidding?" Falco laughed. "We flew circles around those chumps barely taking a scratch! It's never been that easy!"

"Speak for yourself," huffed Slippy. "You weren't getting bumped around by Pigma."

The toad felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Krystal offering him a warm smile.

"I thought you held your own very well, Slippy."

Slippy blushed and rubbed the back of his head as he looked away. Falco snickered and wrapped his arm around Krystal, pulling her tightly against his shoulder.

"Yeah, Slippy, I even had Leon on my tail a few times but I wasn't worried. Because _my girl_ here had my back! I could hear that scaly weirdo swearing up a storm every time you shook him off me," Falco pointed out. Krystal couldn't help but laugh and look down shyly at her feet.

"Seriously, this girl can _fly_. Star Wolf never knew what hit them. You were putting that newbie they got in his place. What are you doing wasting your time with a goof like McCloud?"

Fox snickered and shrugged his shoulders.

"I ask myself the same thing, believe me."

There was a collective laugh among them all. Peppy took off his glasses to wipe them before asking, "So Star Wolf has a new member do they? Who is it?"

"Some panther they found that sounded like he came out of a fucking Spanish soft core porn flick," Falco snorted with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, he was kinda weird. He sure liked Krystal though," Slippy pointed out.

Fox growled at the memory of all the things the newest member of Star Wolf had said to her over the communications line. He had never seen or heard of a wooing during a dog fight. Fox was tempted to break away from his fight with Wolf and ram his Arwing right into the panther's Wolfen if only to shut him up. Krystal laughed softly before looping her arm around his.

"He was trying a _little_ too hard to get my attention. I feel a little sad for him as someone else already has it," she said, batting her eyelashes at Fox who cursed under his breath when the display caused a belt of crimson to explode over his muzzle.

Both Falco and Slippy responded by making gagging noises.

Peppy laughed at the display. Fox narrowed his eyes at them but failed to hold back a chuckle of his own alongside the vixen. Peppy wiped his eyes and set his glasses back on the bridge of his muzzle before motioning with his hand to follow him.

"Come on then. I know it's late but I had ROB whip up some supper if you're feeling up to it."

"Kicking ass always makes me hungry," Falco commented.

The Star Fox team made their way up to the kitchen, joking and rough housing. When they entered, a delicious aroma of pasta filled the air as ROB had just finished setting the table. The mercenaries all dug in, eating and sharing stories from their past and most recent missions. Falco even regaled them with some of his past exploits during his freelance work. The night went on and eventually the table was full of empty plates and satisfied friends.

There was a feeling of nostalgia in the air as they all basked in the warmth and happiness of each other's presence. It almost felt like time had rolled backwards and the room was filled with the hot shot pilots who had just defeated Andross, celebrating their victory. Krystal felt as if she was surrounded by friends she had known for her entire life and that feeling warmed her heart to its very core. Fox and Falco were currently engaged in a friendly argument, neither pilot showing any traces of the hardships they had put behind them.

"Oh, horseshit," Falco snickered.

"I swear to God, I can do it," Fox proclaimed holding his hands up.

Falco leaned back in his chair, picking at his teeth before saying, "There's no way you can beat the simulator's Venom course on expert."

"I'm pretty sure I beat the _real_ thing a long time ago."

"Ah, but the simulator's not the real thing is it? The simulator was designed to be unbeatable unlike the real thing."

"Don't tell me the great Falco Lombardi knows a computer can best him at flying?" Fox teased.

"I never said that," the avian grinned. "I just said it was _designed_ to be unbeatable. Doesn't mean I can't beat it. You on the other hand…"

"Is that a challenge?" Fox inquired, sharing the falcon's grin.

"You and me. Tomorrow morning. We'll see who's got the goods."

"You're on."

Falco and Fox shook on it as Krystal rolled her eyes at them.

"Boys," she sighed with an amused smirk. Slippy stretched his arms above his head as ROB circled the table collecting the dishes.

"Well, that was some good eating! Reminds me of the restaurant we used to go to back in the city," he mused.

"Ah, yes, the one on Duncan Ave," Peppy remarked, wiping his lips with a napkin. Falco snorted a laugh and leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head.

"Oh, yeah. Wasn't that the place where we got Slippy loaded and took him downtown and-"

The falcon was cut off by a flying meatball and a furious look from the toad across the table from him. "We swore we would never speak of that again," Slippy uttered darkly.

Fox, Peppy and Falco hollered with laughter as the memory came to surface. Krystal tried not to laugh to spare the poor toad's embarrassment but struggled to keep in her giggles despite not knowing what they were referring to. Slippy frowned and settled back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest.

"Everyone always picks on me," he complained.

"Oh, come on, Slip, you know we love you," Falco stated and stood up from his seat. He wandered over to the toad and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Now drop the whiny bullshit and play some video games with me."

Slippy seemed to brighten at that proposal but a look of hesitation replaced that expression. "I don't know…It's kinda late and I-"

"Wussy!" Falco teased and wrapped an arm around the amphibian's throat while digging his knuckles into his hat for a well-placed noogie.

"Stop it!" Slippy croaked, trying to squirm away.

"I'll stop when you stop being such a baby!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll play! Jesus…"

Falco smiled and released him. Slippy rubbed his head and threw the bird an upsetting glare. Regardless of the immature tactics, the two friends casually ribbed one another as they padded over to the couches. Fox shook his head at them with a grin and he felt Krystal stand up out of her own chair.

"That was a wonderful meal, ROB. Thank you," she said to the robot. ROB swiveled his head around, his body still forward as he washed the dishes at the sink.

"You are welcome, Krystal," he buzzed.

Krystal yawned and rubbed her neck before saying, "I believe I will retire for tonight. It was most certainly a long day."

She turned to Peppy and smiled sweetly at him.

"Good night, Peppy."

"Good night, Krystal. You did well, today," the rabbit said proudly. Her smile widened and she pivoted towards the pair on the couch who were now frantically involved in their game.

"Good night, boys. Don't stay up too late," she giggled.

Falco twisted his head over and winked at her. "G'Night, babe. Get that beauty sleep. You earned it after today," he said.

"Yeah, Krystal, you were great today!" Slippy concurred with his usual cheery smile. It faded however when he turned back to their game and saw that Falco had un-paused it and was currently beating the daylights out of his character on the screen.

"Falco! You dickhead, that's cheating!" he hollered.

Peppy rolled his eyes with a groan and the blue vixen had to once again stifle another fit of giggles. Was it always like this with them? She very much hoped so. Lastly, she turned to Fox and leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek. When her lips departed, they moved up to his ear where she whispered, "Good night, Fox."

Krystal lightly blew into his ear and it flickered in response. Fox looked up to her and softly smiled.

"Good night, Krys."

She lightly dragged her fingers along his neck before leaving the kitchen, a little extra sway in her hips as she knew Fox was watching her. Fox stared at where she had once stood and noticed Peppy was watching him with an amused look. The vulpine blushed and waved off the chuckling old team member. Peppy stood up from his seat before occupying the one Krystal had resided in beside Fox and patted him on the shoulder.

"When did Fox McCloud become so easily embarrassed?" he asked with a chuckle. Fox let one of his own escape and shook his head.

"I ask myself the same thing. But when she looks at me like that…The answer is pretty simple."

"I can imagine," Peppy concurred and leaned back in his chair before saying, "Things sounded like they couldn't have gone better."

"Yeah. I was pretty surprised. Star Wolf hadn't been expecting us I don't think but they usually give us a lot of trouble regardless. I doubt that will be the case next time but I'll take my easy wins where I can."

Peppy nodded in agreement. He let his eyes roam to where Krystal had left before setting them back on the vulpine.

"She seems to be coming into her own faster than I expected. Krystal's only been flying an Arwing for a few months and already she's got one over on Star Wolf," he commented. "Her skill with a blaster has increased dramatically too. I wasn't expecting that."

"She's got some unbelievable skill," Fox mused, looking at the same spot. "But it's not like you had any doubts, right?"

Peppy caught the younger pilot's smirk and he laughed softly to himself. Fox's expression slowly softened and he took on a more pensive stare, his emerald eyes focused on his hands. Peppy frowned at him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Everything okay, Fox?" he asked. This brought Fox's attention back to him and he offered a small smile to his friend.

"Yeah…Everything's good," he assured.

Peppy studied him for a moment before slowly nodding his head and returning the smile. There was something that the fox wasn't telling him but Peppy decided not to press the matter. Today had gone so well, he didn't want to spoil the mood. Fox stood up from his seat and squeezed the rabbit's shoulder affectionately.

"I think I'm going to call it a night too. Sleep well, old friend," he told Peppy. Peppy patted his hand in response, warmth and kindness reflecting behind his glasses. Fox made his way over to the couch and slapped both Falco and Slippy on the back.

"Good night, guys. Great work today. I'm proud of you," he said.

"Thanks, Fox! Have a good night!" Slippy responded.

"Yeah, I'd get to bed if I had that body waiting for me too," Falco snickered, eyeing his captain with an amused visage. Fox shook his head at him but smiled all the same. He left the kitchen and heard Slippy's voice fade behind him.

"Since when are you and Krystal so chummy, Falco?"

"Since I realized there's a pair of tits on this ship I can stare at that aren't yours."

"…You're an asshole, you know that?"

Fox heard Peppy say something but it was muffled by his footsteps down the corridor. He traveled through the Great Fox until finally reaching the living quarters. With slow steps as not to have them ring off the metal, he stopped just before Krystal's door. He raised his hand to knock but found the urge to do so lacking. It had been a long day and while she didn't show it, she must have been tired. Fox wasn't so sure he wanted to wake her up if she was sleeping. Even if that meant he would be sleeping alone tonight.

With a quiet sigh, he lowered his hand and turned back to his own quarters. His door slid open and Fox stepped into his dimly lit room that was provided by a small lamp on his nightstand. Fox yawned and took off his jacket, tossing it onto his desk with little care. Rubbing his eyes, he sat down on the bed only to suddenly jump back up in surprise from coming into contact with something solid. Spinning around, Fox could see a bundle move underneath his covers and he let a soft grin cross his muzzle when Krystal poked her head out from underneath.

"I was wondering when you would show up," she said quietly, mischief and amusement adorning her lips.

"I thought you were going to bed?" he asked, tilting his head at her.

"I did. But I didn't say _my_ bed now did I?"

"I guess not," Fox admitted, still smiling. Krystal patted the spot on the bed beside her and Fox sat down, a breath of relief leaving him. She sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into the fur on the back of his head. He reached up and tenderly rubbed her arm with a heavy sigh leaving his nose.

"You're troubled," she whispered, eyes closed and relishing in his warmth.

"No. I'm fine," Fox assured, kissing her hand.

"Then why don't I believe you?" Krystal asked, resting her chin on his shoulder. Fox was quiet for a moment which only confirmed her suspicions. He scratched his head before shaking it, eyes downcast to the floor.

"I've just been thinking is all."

"Thinking about what?"

"About you."

Krystal smiled and kissed the back of his neck and she felt him shudder.

"I'm flattered," she said, fingers pulling slightly on his shirt. "But it is concerning that you find thoughts about me so troubling. Have I done something to upset you?"

"Of course not," Fox answer, turning his head to look at her from the corner of his eye. "I just…think about something Peppy said a long time ago sometimes."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He said that you were too good of a person for this job. And I can't help but agree with him."

Krystal was unsure on how to respond to that. As if sensing her contemplation on the matter, Fox was quick to elaborate on his comment.

"I see you in the Training Room and how well you've adapted to using a blaster. The way you maneuver around other fighters and can take them down with such skill. You've become a true Star Fox member just like I knew you would. It makes me really proud of you," he smiled. "But…"

"But what?" Krystal asked softly.

"I know how you still feel about guns and…and the lives we take," Fox replied weakly, his grip on her hand tightening. "I…I feel like it hurts you and it's because of me."

"Fox…"

"I wish I could change it. I wish I could change what we do because you don't deserve to-"

"_Fox_."

Krystal spoke his name with such authority and affection that he stopped and turned his body to face her. She was wearing a smile that was bright and content, a hand reaching up and stroking the side of his face.

"There are many things about what we do that hurts. That is a reality I have come to accept. But that hurt is nothing compared to what I feel when I'm with the people on this ship."

Krystal felt her heart swell at the memory of stepping back onto the Great Fox and the three pilots that came running to greet her. Slippy practically knocked her over with a hug that rivaled the G-Force she felt in an Arwing. He tried his best not to cry but failed as tears of relief ran down his round face. Peppy was gentler than the toad but his expression was similar and the vixen felt that warmth of a father's love course through her which was enough to start her own tears. Falco was the last to greet her and he made some smug comment with an equally smug smile.

Despite that, Krystal could see the affection and happiness in his eyes and she hugged him tightly. The avian blushed at her actions but he eventually dropped his charade and returned her embrace tightly, whispering apologies to her.

From that moment on, there were no more fights. No more doubts and no more tension as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. Time seemed to going by faster than she realized but with each passing moment, her relationship with them strengthened. When the moments did arrive where they would have to put their lives on the line, Krystal was still afraid but she no longer let it control her. She gave everything she had for them, knowing that failure was not an option anymore and they did the same in return. She truly did belong here.

"I have a family again," she continued, now back in present. "I feel loved and accepted. Those feelings are all I care about now and all I think about when I aim a blaster at someone. And if anyone out there tries to take that away from me again, I'll shove a plasma grenade so far up their ass they'll be using toilet paper to clear their brains off the roof."

Fox stared at her in shock before laughing loudly.

"Where did _that_ come from?" he wanted to know. Never had he heard her utter such a thing.

"An effect from spending too much time with Falco I suppose," Krystal laughed as well yet feeling slightly embarrassed for saying something so out of character for her. Her laughter subsiding, she pulled his muzzle towards hers and kissed him softly.

"This home," she whispered to him after breaking the kiss, "These men and what I feel when I'm with them are because of you. If you hadn't brought me back from Sauria, then hurt would have been the only thing I would ever feel. You've never hurt me, Fox. And I know you never will because I don't think there's a man out there that can make me feel as loved as you do."

"Damn right," Fox growled before kissing her again. They let their tongues play with each other for a moment before Fox reached under the covers to hold her and discovered that she had removed all remnants of clothing. When they broke, she smiled and nipped at his bottom lip.

Fox gave her another peck before he got up from the bed and turned off the light, casting the room into shadow. The viewing window provided a faint light from a nearby moon orbiting Aquas. It was strikingly familiar to the night they had revealed their feelings to each other sans a mind full of doubts and injured ribs. Fox turned back to his bed, Krystal laying on her side and waiting for him, her tail flickering playfully back and forth under the sheets.

He began to remove his clothing and once he reached his belt, the vulpine stopped as he met her gaze. She smiled coyly at him which he returned. Turning so his back was facing her, Fox slid his flight pants off. Krystal reached over and ran a hand down his bare backside which caused him to flick her hand away with his tail. She giggled softly, biting her bottom lip as she admired his athletic figure as he crawled into bed with her.

Fox climbed over his cerulean lover and rested his weight atop of her, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist while his arms hugged her naked form tightly to his own. Fox buried his muzzle into her neck and Krystal dug her fingers into his back lightly. He let out a sigh of content as his weary body suddenly was overcome with a euphoric warmth and comfort.

Squeezing her against him a little more, his lips softly dance across her neck, suckling and nipping at her skin. He heard her moan softly and gently writhe underneath him. Fox smirked. He was unsure as to whether or not she really did get that much pleasure out of a simple hickey but real or not, it was doing wonders for his ego. Krystal's fingers worked their way up to his head and squeezed the back of his neck, indicating she wanted his attention elsewhere.

Fox released her throat and when he brought his head up, her mouth immediately connected with his.

There was pressure around his waist from her squeezing so tightly with her legs and he responded by slipping his tongue into her mouth again in which her own was there to eagerly greet him. They broke apart and Fox stared down at her lovingly. Krystal smiled, her blue eyes sharing a similar shine and she licked the end of his nose playfully.

"You know if you keep acting this way, we'll never get any sleep," he whispered to her.

"Oh? Is my strong and brave hero too tired to keep up with me?" she responded zestfully. This prompted a chuckle to escape from Fox's lips.

"You do cut a rigorous pace but we have another mission tomorrow and we need to be focused. I don't want you falling asleep at the lunch table tomorrow morning or worse, in your Arwing."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Krystal smiled and hugged herself closer to him.

Fox nuzzled his face gently against her throat and closed his eyes, the vixen's warmth and heartbeat against his own lulling him to sleep. Just as it was about to overcome him, he heard Krystal speak out in the dark.

"Speaking of the lunch table…Who is Miyu?"

A heavy silence occurred and Fox's eyes opened with a scornful look on his face.

"…Goddamnit, Falco…"

FIN

* * *

_A/N: I felt I needed to end on a humorous moment there. Damn that Falco! _

_I can't believe I finished a story over four chapters. I struggle so much with multiple chapter stories to finish them so I'm really glad I was able to finish this one. Originally, I did have a few more chapter in mind that would have lengthened the story but after thinking about it, it would have taken away from the main point of the story which was Krystal adjusting to this life and her relationship with the crew and especially Fox. _

_I would very much like to thank everyone who followed/favorite this story and left reviews. I didn't think it was my best story, I still don't think that but I worked hard on it and it's nice to see it didn't go unnoticed. Big thanks to all those who left me constructive criticisms and pointers. I really wish those had been pointed out to me years ago but better late than never I suppose. I'll be sure to follow those advices in future stories._

_Well, there she is. If you've read this story all in one sitting, you should probably go outside now and get some fresh air. It's summer, baby! Hope you all have a good one and I'll have some new stuff up soon!  
_

_Cya!_


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